All Souls Must Fly
by KeiKitsune
Summary: Kaiba likes mint gelatos! Some of the events in this story include: Domino City being ownzed by flying war machines, people who turn into animals, past colliding with present, romances, action, battles and great stuff. Please R&R! CH. 32 IS UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Seto Kaiba was so engrossed in his computer that he failed to notice a falcon swoop onto the windowsill and stare at him beadily.

_Hah! _he thought with satisfaction. _And with that transaction, another fifty grand to me._

The falcon turned its head quizzically so that it watched him with just one yellow eye.

Seto was feeling rather exhilarated today. KaibaCorp stocks were up by 27 percent, he had made almost one million dollars in the space of three hours, and he almost felt like going out to a fancy restaurant and ordering all the mint gelatos he could possibly eat.

He yawned and stretched, thinking, _it's time for a break_. The CEO pushed back his chair and stood up, quickly locking his laptop with the press of a platinum-plated computer key. The screen faded to black and the little green light switched to yellow, for standby mode.

It was then that a rather annoying tapping sound came to his attention. Seto turned around to find the source of the irritating noise, and then saw the silver falcon staring at him pointedly through the glass.

For a moment Seto just stared at it disbelievingly. The way it looked at him was almost human—- and it was plainly saying, _let me in_!

He shot it what he hoped was an intimidating, contemptuous look and turned his back. Seto was reaching for the doorknob when the falcon gave a deafening shriek that stabbed at his eardrums. Simultaneously, it sent a strange shiver down his spine.

Whirling around in a sudden fury, he shouted, "Shut up!"

The bird had disappeared from the sill and was gone from sight.

He stared at the window, feeling rather stupid.

Suddenly a grayish speck materialized out of the clear blue sky, hurtling toward him. It became larger but was nothing more than a blur. Now Seto realized where the bird had gone, but right now he was more worried about where it was _going_.

With no sign of stopping, the falcon continued to plunge straight downward, on a crash course with the window.

_What the—?_

There was a huge explosion as the glass shattered, and beams of blue light filled the room, blinding him. He ducked, and little shards came whistling over his head, narrowly missing him. Seto backed up quickly out of the path of the wayward glass.

When the sapphire glow had faded, his office was a mess. The larger pieces of glass had gone and bowled over the things on his desk: the penholder, a precariously stacked heap of file folders and several other miscellaneous items. The smaller splinters had embedded themselves in the walls and the carpet. A gargantuan slice of the window had sailed clear across the room and narrowly missed his head by inches, entrenching itself in the wall above him.

Whatever trace of a good mood Seto had acquired was immediately extinguished. The old sullen fire, which had been tempered down to a few lukewarm coals, was now smoldering with rage and resentment again.

Muttering under his breath, he picked his way through the sea of broken glass, over to the smashed window. The psychopath falcon had disappeared from the skyline.

He scanned the horizon, wondering in spite of himself where it had gone.

A shrill cry that came from behind him gave him a shock.

Spinning around furiously, Seto realized that the irritating bird had been sitting on the neck of his lamp the whole time, watching him in amusement.

The falcon blinked at him nonchalantly and began to groom itself.

"Get _out_," he growled at it.

It shook its head firmly, an alarmingly human gesture, and resumed its preening.

Seto stared at it with narrowed eyes. He wasn't one to be startled easily, but this was something entirely new. He had stared into the face of everything from gargantuan virtual fire demons to the Dark Magician and not twitched a muscle, but this was something else completely. This bird had seemingly generated a weird blue light all by itself, demolished his office single-handedly, and was now sassing him like nobody's business.

Any notion of mint gelatos quite gone from his mind, he started wrathfully toward the uncouth creature. "You'll be sorry," he snarled, taking a swipe at the falcon. It hopped nimbly aside, unruffled, and eyed him calmly.

"You might want to rethink that statement," said a cool female voice.

Seto froze, feeling numb. Was he going insane? Had that bird just _spoken_?

"Are you listening to me?" inquired the bird, looking at him composedly.

He stared disbelievingly at the falcon, not answering.

"Yes," said the bird, answering its (her) own question. "You are. I am sorry I had to smash your window, but I had no other alternative. I can fix it momentarily." She swiveled her golden eyes over to the mess on the floor. The jagged shards radiated the same blue light and slowly floated back into their places, like a jigsaw puzzle. Seto watched dazedly, not believing his eyes. Was he hallucinating? This just couldn't be real…

"So," continued the bird, fixing Seto once more with the yellow stare that bored into him. "You're probably wondering why a talking falcon has just smashed its way into your tower. Actually, I can't really answer that question. If I had my way, there wouldn't be any window smashing. But—" the bird paused and sighed dramatically—"There was no other choice, I'm afraid."

"What are you talking about?" Seto demanded. "You're just wasting my time, stupid bird," he muttered under his breath. He tried to cross the room to the door, but the falcon cut in smoothly, "I heard that, and I am not a stupid bird. As a matter of fact, I'm not even a bird."

"What?" He stopped and turned around. Part of him wished he could just strangle this invader, but he was curious in spite of himself.

"I am what some call an houri, some call a faerie and some call a god," said the falcon simply. "This is not my true form, but a mask to host me on earth."

Seto looked skeptically at the bird, one eyebrow raised, but he did not reply.

"You are not convinced," the bird pointed out.

Although Seto didn't use it often, the word _duh_ would have been very appropriate for this situation.

"Look," he said roughly. "I don't really care who you are and what you're trying to prove, just get_ out_ of my office!"

The falcon didn't move.

"No," it said calmly.

Seto sat back down in his chair helplessly and put his head in his hands. This was too much… All he wanted was a mint gelato; he didn't want to have to reason with dumb talking birds…

He looked up and got the shock of his life. Sitting on the lamp (the _lamp?_) where a falcon had been moments before was a girl. She had raven-black hair that was pulled into two tight braids, well-tanned skin, and radiant golden eyes that shone like twin suns. She was looking at Seto solemnly, her hands clasped around her knees.

Seto stood up so fast that his chair rocketed to the wall behind him and crashed. The girl didn't even twitch at the livid, merciless expression on his face. She seemed to be a statue, sitting there silently and unmoving.

Come to think of it, the lamp was not even bending under her weight. What was wrong with this person?

"Get—out—or —I'll—"

"Or you'll what?" she asked coolly, speaking in the falcon's voice. Seto took a step backward and nearly impaled himself on his chair. To add insult to injury, the girl nimbly leapt from the lamp to his desktop, landing so lightly that the pencil holder didn't even rattle, and said, "Are you all right?"

Turning red with rage and embarrassment, he muttered through clenched teeth, "Fine." He stood up, wishing he could melt through the floor and forget about this whole screwed incident.

The girl, still somber, gave him a piercing stare, while Seto thought murderous thoughts, his fists clenched.

"Am I scaring you?" she said curiously. "There's no reason to be scared of girls, you know. Would you rather I turned back into a falcon?"

"Yes, and go far away," snarled Seto.

"I'm sorry, but I can't," she said politely, sitting on the edge of his desk.

"And why not?" Seto shot back.

"This isn't a coincidence," continued the girl in that maddeningly serene voice, swinging her legs back and forth. "I was sent here."

"By who?"

The girl resumed her annoying staring routine and did not answer.

"Okay okay, I won't ask," Seto said, beginning to be interested. "Um… could you turn back into a falcon again? …Please?" The word sounded funny coming from him, probably because he usually refrained from using such trivial things as manners.

The girl gave him a half-weary, half-long-suffering look and slowly transformed. At first it looked as if she was dissolving in a mist of golden sparks, but she merely shrank. Then the mist disappeared and a silver falcon was looking up at him from the desk.

"Every time I do that, it takes away some of my power, you know," she said. "I can't be switching every time you feel like it."

"Well, too bad," Seto replied rather nastily, beginning to feel like he was in control again and liking the feeling of superiority. "You should have known that I didn't like girls before you did transform." He leaned over and set his chair back upright again, and then grabbed the doorknob. "Now if you'll _excuse me_, I am going out to lunch. Do not mess up my office."

The falcon laughed meanly at the look on his face. "Don't get anything _messy_?" she said cruelly. "Well you don't have to worry about that, because I'm coming with you." And with that, she glided off the desk and landed on his arm.

"Augh! Get off my arm!" he shouted. "Give me a break," he said, when the falcon gave him a beseeching look. "I am not going out into public with a _falcon_ on my shoulder." He made _falcon_ sound like _midden_.

"But I want to come," she begged, sounding like a two-year-old. "I want to see the city, and I'm hungry, and I'm thirsty—"

"All right, all right," Seto said exasperatedly. "Just— keep quiet and fly above me, all right? And _don't_ land on my arm again, because it hurts."

"Well, too bad," the bird mimicked impertinently. "Let's go."

They set off into the hall, the falcon sneaking along above him, gliding near the ceiling. Seto strode importantly over to his secretary's desk, where she was cataloguing something on the computer. She had mousy brown hair in a flyaway ponytail and round glasses. He set a piece of paper on her desk. "I'm going out," he said brusquely, and walked away.

The secretary, whose name was Meryl Renzawa, delicately picked up the slip of paper.

_I have transferred one million dollars into the KaibaCorp funds. I will be out the rest of the day. You may take the day off. _

Delighted, Meryl gathered her things and was out the door in five seconds flat.

She pelted down the stairs, her heart beating fast. He had written it in his own hand, not on the computer! Did that mean anything?

Meryl stopped on a landing and leaned against the railing. She sighed. Of course it didn't. Even if it did mean something, Meryl would be too scared to speak to Mr. Kaiba anyhow.

She set her satchel down on the floor and took a hand mirror out of her purse. Meryl hurriedly fixed her hair into a better ponytail— no matter what she did to it; her hair seemed to act alive; it would jump right out of her ponytail so that it looked as if she hadn't brushed it in a week.

Finally satisfied, Meryl stowed the mirror away, grabbed her satchel, and continued the long trip down the stairs.

In ten minutes she was squinting up at the bright sun, on the sidewalk in front of KaibaCorp. Her flat was only three blocks away from the giant building, so she walked. Plus, it saved money.

Hopefully she looked around for any sign of Mr. Kaiba. Her heart sank, and she knew that he took the elevator; she wouldn't meet him here anyway.

_At least I have a day off! _she thought, and started off to her apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Seto sat at a table by himself at a coffee shop near his workplace, sipping tea and glancing over the morning paper disdainfully. Wars, tax deficits and angry senators. Boooooooring.

He looked up over the newspaper and almost laughed. The falcon was splashing and sunning herself in the fountain on the café patio, and throwing the usual pigeon residents into fits. They hooted angrily at the falcon from trees nearby, but warily kept their distance.

Shaking his head, Seto went back to the paper.

The falcon stretched and took off into the air. The pigeons shrieked and rose in a frantic flock to flap over to the restaurant across the street, where it was safer.

But then there was a silver, 100 mph streak that whizzed right into the frenzied cloud of birds, scattering them as they screamed enraged calls of pigeon fury.

The silver smudge on the skyline darted out of the flock and glided into a tree that shaded Seto's table.

Curiously, he looked up into the tree.

_Yuck_, he thought.

The falcon was holding the bloody corpse of a pigeon down with one talon as she tore at its meat with her sharp beak. In two minutes, she had completely stripped the body of flesh, until it was a bloodstained skeleton. She let it drop to the base of the tree and land in the woodchips.

She swallowed and blinked contentedly at Seto.

He raised his eyebrows slightly and resumed reading.

So _that_ was what she had meant by "I'm hungry". She had planned to murder a pigeon. Sheesh.

But he couldn't help but admire the way that she had dived right into the flock and caught her dinner in less than ten seconds. And in Seto's opinion, Domino City had a serious pigeon overpopulation problem. _We could do with a few less of those cooing terrors around here anyway, _he thought.

"Hey Seto!"

He looked up, and saw Mokuba running down the sidewalk toward him, dragging a huge briefcase along with him.

"Hello, Mokuba."

Mokuba sat down in the chair across from his brother, out of breath.

"I called Meryl's cell and she said you'd gone out for a break, and so I figured you'd be here," he explained.

"Who's Meryl?"

"Meryl Renzawa? Your _secretary_?"

"…Oh…"

"Why do you keep glancing at that tree?" Mokuba followed Seto's gaze. "Oh wow, a falcon! I've never seen one of those before. Look, it's not scared, it's just sitting there."

The falcon looked curiously down at Mokuba. She made a purring "brrrip" noise, as if to say, "whatever", and closed her eyes.

Mokuba grinned.

The waiter trotted up to their table. "Something for you, young sir?"

"Can I have a Coke?"

"Very good, sir," said the waiter, bowing himself away.

Mokuba noticed his brother's look of distaste. "What's wrong?"

"They are such suck-ups over here," said Seto disgustedly.

His little brother laughed.

The falcon was watching them from under half-closed eyelids. She wondered what "suck-up" meant.

Soon the sucking-up waiter returned with Mokuba's Coke, and Mokuba jabbered away to Seto about school. Seto was only half listening, because he was watching several people out of the corner of his eye, who had just come into the café. The very sight of them made his stomach clench.

Mokuba sipped his drink, then set it down hard on the table. "You're not listening to me," he pointed out flatly. "What's eating you?"

"Them," Seto growled, jerking his head toward the table of people he'd been watching.

His little brother twisted around in his chair.

"That's— hey, it's Yugi!" Mokuba exclaimed. He got up and dashed over to Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Téa's table.

The sight of Mokuba chatting with them made Seto's blood boil. Partly because he didn't really like any of them, and partly because he was jealous.

Seto had no friends. Well, Mokuba was his friend, but he was also his brother, so that didn't really count.

_But what about Yugi? _Said the nasty little inner voice in the back of his head. _You gave him that card at Battle City so that he could beat Marik, didn't you? And you two have helped each other out before. And the Pharaoh and the Sorcerer were friends._

_Shut up, _argued Seto. _That's Ishizu talking. _Although he knew that Ishizu had helped him at Battle City by lending him Obelisk, and she had led him to do something that the normal Seto never would have done: help Yugi duel. But as helpful as Ishizu might have been, she still gave him the creeps. Seto thought Ishizu was extremely weird. She was always following him around, like a stalker, and badgering him about his destiny. Not that Seto believed he had a destiny.

_A stalker_, he thought, chuckling inwardly. That pretty much described Ishizu.

Wow, two laughs in one day. That was something of a record.

The falcon was awake and screeching. He looked up into the tree. She was staring at Yugi's table, a clearly surprised look in her golden eyes.

Suddenly the bird glided off of her branch and alighted on the back of Seto's chair. He shot her a furtive, warning glare. The falcon calmly met his scorching gaze. "Who is _that_?" she whispered, jerking her head toward the table where Mokuba was chatting.

Seto ducked behind his newspaper. "Are you insane?" he hissed. "I can't just be talking to a falcon sitting on the back of my chair in broad daylight!"

"Can, and are," she replied sassily. "Who is that boy? The short one?"

"That's Yugi Moto, and if you don't mind, I'd like to leave him out of this conversation."

"I do mind. Is that the Millennium Puzzle around his neck?"

Seto quickly checked over the rim of his newspaper to make sure no one was looking. No one was.

"Yes," he whispered. "Why do you care?"

"It's my business to care," she returned serenely.

"Whatever." Seto went back to his paper and tried to ignore the falcon.

She gave him a despairing look and flew back up into her perch.

The falcon studied Yugi carefully. So this was the Pharaoh's reincarnation. A bit of a disappointment; in her opinion. He was a shrimp.

Yes, he had the same hair, the same face, and the Puzzle hung around his neck. But he seemed very different… he was a mere child!

She flew over to a tree nearer to their table to get a closer look.

Yugi/The Pharaoh was accompanied by three youths who looked to be several years younger than Seto. They were all considerably taller than Yugi. The female had shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. The slightly taller boy had brown hair and brown eyes, and the other had shaggy blond hair that the falcon considered quite unattractive. _Who cuts his hair?_ she thought disgustedly.

"— you going for summer vacation?" the girl was saying.

"I don't know," replied Yugi. "I'll probably just be hanging around Domino City."

"I can't believe there's only less than a month of school left," commented Mokuba.

"Me neither," agreed Yugi. "I can't say I'll miss it."

"Hey, look, there's that falcon again," Mokuba said, pointing at the tree.

"Where?"

"Huh?"

"What's a falcon?" said the boy with the raggedy haircut.

_What an idiot,_ she thought, looking down at him derisively.

"It's that bird up there, Joey," explained the taller boy.

"It's been hanging around all morning," Mokuba said.

_This Yugi boy has a very strange taste in friends,_ noted the falcon.

"I'll probably be polishing my dueling skills," said Joey. "Not that they need polishing," he added boastfully.

The girl laughed at him. "Sure, Joey."

"What? I'm pretty good."

_Blech. I'm going for a fly. There's too much hot air around here._ She glided up, up into the cotton-ball sky, over a skyscraper, and came to perch on a lamppost.

_Peculiar. What's this piece of metal for, I wonder?_ thought the falcon.

She watched strange, brightly colored contraptions on wheels zoom by on the street. _That kid, a duelist? If he's a duelist, I'm a vulture. Hah. I'd like to see how they duel down here._

A sudden chill that had nothing to do with the air went through her. _Are you sure? _Whispered a light breeze in her ear. _You would like to see a duel?_

_Forgive me. _

_Anyhow, they do not use dark magic anymore. These humans use pieces of paper and holograms, which is a thing of machines._

_Machines and cards? What has the noble art of dueling become?_

_It was never noble, my daughter. Now you must forget about this and put your mind to the task at hand._

_Yes, father. _

_Good. Now return to your priest. The time will come soon, my daughter. _

_How soon?_

_Be prepared for the worst. That is all I know. Who knows what can happen in this contorted world of machines and metal?_

_That is true, but…_

_Yes?_

_I want to get this over with, father. I am not looking forward to the Time-Cleft. I would just like to spend some time on Earth, without having to save it._

_I understand. Have heart, my child. Your brother and sister will arrive soon. Be patient and keep to your task. You have done well so far, but make sure not to be too…_

_Too what?_

…_Impulsive. That was always your weak spot. Do not worry, daughter. I have faith in you._

_Thank you, father._

_I will see you soon._

_Good-bye._

The falcon shook herself, fanning her wings out, and caught a warm updraft, which she coasted upward into the sky. She glided around for a while until she spotted the café where Seto and Yugi were. The falcon folded herself into a dive and plummeted earthward. Her heart beat like a drum in her small ribcage, and adrenaline rushed through her bloodstream. How she loved diving! The wind whistled past her, caressing her feathers.

She pulled up two feet above the café patio, causing a waiter to jump and nearly drop the tray he was bearing.

The falcon fluttered over to the tree that shaded Seto's table. She surveyed the scene below: Seto was reading his paper but watching Mokuba out of the corner of his eye. Yugi and his pals were chattering away at their table.

By now she had perceived that Mokuba was Seto's little brother. They didn't look a thing alike.

She yawned and fluffed up her silver feathers. This was getting boring; the falcon had seen enough of this strange city for one day. She was full and sleepy, and wished that they could leave.

Mokuba went back to Seto's table.

"Come on, Mokuba, let's go," he said to his younger brother. The two strode out of the café. The falcon curiously followed them.

"So, Seto, why did you leave work?" asked Mokuba.

"I made us a million dollars richer this morning, so I figured that would be enough for one day."

"Wow."

They walked the rest of the way back to their house in silence. The falcon followed them into a small alley between two buildings. _Probably a shortcut, _she thought.

What neither of the brothers noticed was a hooded, dark figure trailing them, skirting the light and skulking in the shadows. The falcon watched the person interestedly. Was it the custom to have an obscure human follow you around? But there was a certain air of menace around the man, a decidedly malevolent aura in the way he crept about, keeping his head low and casting glances over his shoulder. The falcon could see that he was keeping something swathed in the front of his cloak.

Her falcon instincts kicked in. _Bad, very bad! Keep away!_

_It could be an assassin!_ her mind argued.

_Bad, bad, very bad._

_Be quiet._

She forced down the feeling of animal panic that was rising like a flash flood in her falcon's brain. Could she warn Seto without Mokuba noticing? It seemed impossible.

She flew on, undecided, keeping an eye on the mystery man.

Suddenly he lunged out of the shadows towards the brothers; the falcon dived. She threw herself at his face, tearing at his unprotected eyes with her talons. Warm, crimson blood gushed from his mangled face, down his chin and staining the falcon's feathers. He shrieked in pain and blindly grabbed for her.

She tried to break away, but a gloved hand clamped around her neck and clenched down.

No air… the world spun before her eyes… the smell of blood seeped into her nostrils… her stomach rebelled, her brain screamed for oxygen… she felt a bone in her neck snap…

Her mind shut down and the world went black, as if someone had pulled a heavy curtain over her eyes.

Seto heard a man shout behind him, and he turned to see what the ruckus was about. There was a person swathed in black struggling to pull the falcon away from his face… something red spattered onto the pavement…

And suddenly the bird went limp, hanging from his hand like a dead rabbit.

The assassin rose mangled, bloody eye sockets to meet Seto's. Though the hooded man's eyes burned with pain, he plunged his hand into his pocket and swiftly brought out a gun.

A shot rang through the morning air like shattered glass.

"Seto!" Mokuba screamed.

But the man had missed his mark. The falcon had sunk her beak deep into his trigger hand, and blood fell in a great crimson waterfall onto the sidewalk. The gun clattered to the ground.

The falcon made a haphazard dive out of the gunman's grip. Without thinking, Seto scooped up the injured bird and ran. Mokuba dashed after his brother, and they fled down the alley to their small mansion on Coldwater Street.

They burst into the front hall.

"I'll get some towels," Mokuba panted, sprinting off to the bathroom.

Seto gingerly held the bloodstained falcon out in front of him. Soon Mokuba was back, and they made up a bed for the bird on the couch.

"Shouldn't we wash it off?" asked Mokuba.

Seto nodded. They went to the kitchen and found one of those big salad bowls. Seto filled it up with warm water and brought it into the living room.

Mokuba was sitting on the couch next to the bird. She was curled in a forlorn, limp way among the towels, her eyes tightly shut.

"Is it… alive?" Mokuba asked quietly.

As if to answer, the falcon slowly opened one golden eye.

The brothers carefully washed the falcon, wiping the blood off of her feathers. When she was clean they wrapped her in new towels. She lay contentedly on her terrycloth nest, sleeping peacefully at last.

Later in the evening, Seto was lying on his bed, reading a book.

Mokuba crept in uncertainly.

"Seto?" he said.

"Hm?"

"Who was that man back there? The one- the one with… the gun?"

Seto slowly shut his book, swiveling his gaze to his younger brother.

"An assassin, I assume," he said.

"But why did that falcon save you? I mean, they're smart, but I didn't know they were _that_ smart…" Mokuba trailed off underneath Seto's penetrating stare.

"In case you didn't notice, that falcon is not normal," he replied. "Tomorrow when she wakes up, I think we'll get some answers."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The falcon opened her eyes slowly and looked around her. Her head spun slightly, and the scene before her swam like a mirage.

She closed her eyes and waited for the dizziness to stop. Then the falcon examined the room she was in.

She seemed to be wrapped in soft cloths on a couch of some kind, although it was much different than the couches the falcon had seen before. She was in a carpeted room with smaller couches, bookshelves, and a strange glass box on a table. There were picture windows that faced the street, revealing a uniform, perfectly green manicured lawn.

Carefully, the falcon hopped out of her makeshift nest. She yawned and glided off of the couch. With the help of her magic, her broken bone had healed quickly.

The falcon decided to explore the house. She hopped her way to a doorway that led into a long corridor. At one end was a door that she guessed opened to the outside. The falcon set off down the other.

She hopped past a room much like the one she had woken up in; a room with many humming glass machines and wires that attached to the wall; the kitchen; a bathroom and two closets. Then she came to the stairs. At the top, there were four doors in another hallway. One, a bathroom, was open. Two were tightly shut. But one door, the door at the end of the hall, was open a crack.

The falcon hopped over to the door, curious.

She squeezed through the space and walked inside. It was a spacious room with a large bed, a sofa, a shelf with one of those strange glass boxes built into it, and a table with a smaller box. There was a closed door in the far wall of the room.

Suddenly a person stepped out of it.

Seto gave the falcon a raised-eyebrows look and crossed his arms.

"How did you get up here?"

"I hopped."

"So you're feeling better?"

"Yes."

The falcon did not mince words. "So is that little boy, Mokuba, your brother?"

"What did you think? That I normally let kids follow me around?"

"I suppose that's a yes," said the falcon to the room at large, and hopped up onto a bedpost.

"Get off of there. I don't want bird germs all over my house."

The falcon crossed her eyes at him. "I'm not a bird, remember?"

"Whatever." Seto crossed the room at departed through the door to the hallway.

"You're really rude, did you know that?" she called after him.

The falcon followed him out of the room. She flew down the stairs and swerved into the kitchen. There was a door that led to the dining room, where the falcon could see Seto sitting and glancing over the newspaper. Beside him was Mokuba, eating something out of a bowl with a spoon and chatting away a mile a minute.

She flew through the kitchen, and then fluttered into the dining room and onto the table. _Might as well just do it now_.

Seto gave her an annoyed glance but continued reading.

Mokuba gaped.

"Good morning," said the falcon.

"You can _talk_?"

"Yes," replied the falcon.

Mokuba looked at her with wide eyes. "But… that's not possible…"

"Normally, it isn't," she said. "But I'm not a talking falcon. This isn't really my true form."

"Then what is your true form?"

"Oh, _please_ no," muttered Seto.

The falcon hopped onto a chair. She disappeared into a cloud of golden mist. When it faded, a girl sat in the falcon's place.

She held out her hand to Mokuba. "You may call me Samira."

Shakily, Mokuba took it. "P-pleased to meet you," he said.

"There's no need to be afraid. I'm strange, I know, but I won't hurt you."

"Where did you come from?" asked Mokuba.

Samira sighed. "It's a long story," she said. "I think you know of the seven Millennium Items, and the story of the Egyptian God Cards, and the Pharaoh, and all of that?"

Suddenly Seto was watching her with a slightly pinched look on his face, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh please," he scoffed. "Not more of that Ancient Egypt junk. Ishizu was bad enough-"

Samira propped her chin on her hands. "Oh, you know Ishizu?" she said. "Enlightening soul, isn't she?"

Seto rolled his eyes at the ceiling. Samira laughed.

"Ishizu was one of the six priests during Pharaoh Atem's reign in Egypt," continued Samira.

"Who's Pharaoh Atem?" asked Mokuba.

"_The_ Pharaoh, the one in the Millennium Puzzle. Haven't you met him?"

"You mean Yugi?"

"Well… sort of. Anyhow, you two have probably met at least one of the priests at one time or another. Do you know Bakir? Of the Millennium Ring?"

"Bakir?" Mokuba said.

"Well, anybody with a name like his? Names can change over time…"

"Oh, you mean Bakura!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Yeah, I know him-"

"You're saying that all of these priest people have come back as people we know?" said Seto suspiciously.

"Exactly," replied Samira.

"-and Marik must be the priest of the Millennium Rod, right?" asked Mokuba.

Samira jerked her head so fast that her braids were a blur. "Marik?" she said incredulously. "And the Millennium Rod? You mean— you mean _Ishizu's_ brother?"

"Yeah," said Mokuba. "He had it for a while and he was doing all these bad things with it because his evil side took over his good side but then Yugi beat his evil self in a duel so his good self came back and the good Marik gave Yugi the Millennium Rod-"

"Wait, wait, wait, slow _down_," said Samira, shaking her head. "So now that short person with the Puzzle also has the Rod!"

"Yeah."

"But," Samira exclaimed, "That can't be right…"

"Why?" inquired Mokuba. "Marik wasn't a priest?"

"No, he wasn't," Samira frowned, twisting a strand of hair around one finger.

"Well then who was the priest of the Millennium Rod?"

"I was," said Seto quietly. Mokuba stared at him. Samira's look suddenly softened.

"I'm not stupid," he continued. "I saw that stone tablet. According to you crazy people, I'm the one who owned the Millennium Rod, which is complete nonsense."

"No, it's not," snapped Samira. "The Lithograph speaks the truth. You _are _the High Priest and the Millennium Rod is your birthright."

"You mean… _Seto_ was a priest?" squeaked Mokuba, his bowl of Cheerios quite forgotten.

"Yes, he was," said Samira, glaring at Seto, who glared right back. "And I had the great misfortune of being his _advisor_."

"You're insane," Seto said flatly.

Samira fixed him with her golden stare. "Explain to me, then, how you won your duel against Ishizu Ishtar," she said in a soft, dangerous voice.

Seto's eyes faltered, and he looked downward, not speaking.

"Do you remember how Marik's Millennium Rod mysteriously lit up, and your Blue Eyes White Dragon called to you?" she said, probing further. "Do you recall those visions-"

"Shut- up-" growled Seto, gritting his teeth.

"Oh, have I touched a nerve?" asked Samira calmly. "All I ask is for you to stop and think…"

Mokuba was looking back and forth between them, eyes wide. "Seto, what's-"

"Forget it, Mokuba."

"You must at least accept your heritage," Samira said, more gently.

"What heritage? I'm not from Egypt-"

"It is true that Seto is a Japanese name," continued Samira, "But you'd be surprised."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. You were named Seto for a reason. Have you ever seen a family picture of your parents?"

"N-no."

"Well, if you ever do, you will notice that your mother is most certainly not Japanese."

"Leave my mother out of this," snarled Seto. "What do you know-"

"I know more than you realize," said Samira smoothly. "I swear on my honor that I will tell you no lies. Now I shall lay it out for you plain and simple.

"You _are_ of Egyptian descent. You _are_ the reincarnation of High Priest Seto from the royal house of Sayidh, cousin of the Pharaoh and protector of the throne. If you do not at least acknowledge this, I can certainly predict that you will not last very long."

Seto looked dumbfounded. He did not reply.

Samira sighed. "Seto, I technically was not supposed to tell you this, but I am going to now because you seem to need some extra convincing."

He blinked, his face now strangely expressionless, but did not say anything.

Samira began:

"As you know, your Duel Monsters was played in Ancient Egypt, but known to us as the Shadow Games, owing to the fact that the players had to use dark magic to summon monsters. It was quite popular during the reign of Pharaoh Akunamon Sayidh. No one is exactly sure how it came about, but there are legends that tell of a tablet that explains the mysteries of the Shadows Games and its origins. Unfortunately, like many other artifacts, this tablet is lost to us. Perhaps forever, or maybe we have not rediscovered it yet. Who knows?

"Fortunately, there is another tablet that currently resides with the Scorpion Tribe of the Hidden Desert and has been under their careful guard for millennia. It is in a very old script that has been dead for years and years. It is rumored to be set down in the hand of Azukhtar the High One himself. This tablet tells of an event called the Time-Cleft, when there will be enough dark power accumulated on Earth for there to be a hole in time, so to speak. You see, the Shadow Games back then generated a lot of dark power on Earth, so much that the Dark One was able to enter this dimension. Of course, that is not a good thing. The Time Cleft was going to happen right then and there, but luckily, Pharaoh Atem, Akunamon's son who was reigning at that time, stepped in and was able to prevent the Dark One from using the Time Cleft to control the world."

"Wait," said Seto abruptly. "What about the priests, and the Millennium Items, and all that?"

"I'm getting to that. Before Atem came to power, his predecessor Akunamon's high priest, Akunadin, was given the task of creating the Millennium Items to give the priests power to protect Egypt from the darkness of the Shadow Games- and the Egyptian God Monsters. Odd though it may seem, the three monsters were created by mistake.

"You see, one hundred souls were needed to be sacrificed to create the Items, and so the Pharaoh Akunamon chose the Village of Thieves, home to one hundred allegedly notorious scoundrels, to be sacrificed. Unfortunately, one person was able to escape the city before the spell had been invoked. Interestingly enough, this man was not a thief, but a fugitive who had come into the Village of Thieves to hide. He left the village under the cover of night, even though the Pharaoh's soldiers had been sent to guard all the gates to prevent this. The escapee hid right outside the village and watched the spell take place. But since there were only ninety-nine men left in the village, the spell went wrong. It still produced the Millennium Items, but something else quite unexpected was created that night.

"A shroud of shadow hovered over the now empty village like a cloak. At the stroke of midnight, three huge beasts emerged from its depths: the Winged Dragon of Ra, Slifer the Sky Dragon, and Obelisk the Tormenter. Akunamon was panicking; he had no idea what to do with three huge, dark, dangerous monsters on his hands. He quickly went through the initiation ceremony to be able to control the Millennium Puzzle. But without the other items, the Puzzle's power was limited. Akunamon was killed that night. No one knows exactly how. His bed was found empty the next morning, and a search party was sent out. All they found of the Great Pharaoh Akunamon was the Millennium Puzzle, lying mysteriously in the desert sand."

The room seemed suddenly colder, darker and agonizingly silent.

"Wow," Mokuba whispered, his eyes distant as he imagined.

"So Yugi becomes pharaoh, right?" Seto said in an almost bored voice.

"Very good, Mister Kaiba," Samira said dryly. "Riders were sent out to all corners of the kingdom to find the five hidden priests and priestesses that would wield the remaining Items. By the end of the month, they had all been found and everything was ready to invoke the Sevenfold Spell. Bakir of the Millennium Ring, Ishizu of the Millennium Necklace-"

"Ishizu!" Seto exclaimed, gaping.

"Does it surprise you?" Samira asked, chuckling.

"Hey Samira, does that guy, Bakir, have anything to do with Bakura?" inquired Mokuba. "Because I think Bakura, Yugi's friend, has the Ring."

"Hmmm," Samira mused. "Bakir is most likely a version of Bakura. That is probably him, if he has the Ring. I also think you've met the Puzzle and Rod?"

"Several times too many," grumbled Seto.

"But Samira, that's only four Millennium Items," said Mokuba. "What about the other three?"

"Don't forget the eye that Pegasus had," Seto reminded his brother.

"Pegasus?" asked Samira, curious.

"He was a dirty-rotten cheater, a lying, underhanded scumbag who nearly killed us," Mokuba said angrily, his hands clenching. "He's gone now, thankfully, but…" Mokuba shivered and trailed off.

"Oh, the Millennium Eye?" said Samira, her brow furrowed. "That's strange, because a female owned it in Ancient Egypt. Priestess Ranya, to be exact. As for how this man Pegasus almost killed you, I think I shall not ask."

"He… kidnapped Mokuba," muttered Seto after a moment. "Then… he imprisoned us in our own cards." His face darkened like a thundercloud, burning fires of hate kindled in his eyes.

Samira fell silent, watching Seto's stormy face with a closed expression. She folded her hands and examined her intertwined fingers, not speaking.

"I know your life has not been easy," she said quietly. "I know of your abuse by that hateful man Gozaburo. You have every right to be resentful. I… just want to help you. Terrible, dark times are ahead for us, for everyone, and I can help you." Gently she set her hand on top of his.

Seto's impulse was to jerk back and say something nasty, but for some reason, he didn't. Grave golden eyes met wary blue ones. A sudden feeling of calm permeated the room, of clouds drifting by in a sapphire sky and a gentle breeze wafting softly.

The moment of peace was shattered as quickly as it had come. Shaken, Seto stood up abruptly.

"I must be going," he said, and walked out of the room, a little too hastily.

Mokuba took a big mouthful of cereal. "I hink oo ad im," he mumbled through the food.

Samira laughed. "Come again?"

Mokuba swallowed. "I think, you scared him," he repeated.

Samira grinned. "It figures. He is rather antisocial."

"Yeah," Mokuba sighed, nodding sadly. "He has no friends."

Samira's eyebrows shot way up. "I see," she said quietly.

Mokuba put down his spoon and looked at Samira. "I- I remember a time, when Seto was always happy. He-" Mokuba wiped a tear away from his eye. "He used to call me Mokie," Mokuba choked out. "We would always play together, and dream of a better life. But now-" Mokuba put his head down on his arms and sniffled.

She leaned over and gently hugged him. "It's okay," said Samira softly. She looked out through the window into the sunny sky, and rested her chin on her hands. "I know it will be."

"You do? How?" Mokuba asked, looking up and wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"I was sent here… for a reason. I can't tell you everything now, but times will change. They are about to. Very soon…" Samira drifted off, staring far into space.

Mokuba didn't probe further. He was still a little suspicious of this sudden intrusion. Although Samira didn't seem hostile… there was always a first time.

"By the way, what is that you are eating?" she asked.

"Uh- what? Oh, this is cereal. Cheerios."

"Looks revolting." Samira rose and trotted into the kitchen to inspect it. Quizzically she surveyed the refrigerator. Spying the handle, she gingerly took hold and pulled. The door opened.

Samira jumped back in surprise, clearly startled. Mokuba laughed. "That's the fridge," he explained. "It's where we keep our food."

"But then all of your food will be cold!"

"That's good, see? Because then it won't spoil. If we want it warm we heat in up in the microwave."

"Which is…?"

"That other smaller… uh, box with a door in it."

"Oh." Samira curiously examined the buttons on the microwave. "Interesting." She glanced back at the fridge. "It looks like you are running out of food. Where do we get some?"

"At Kroger… I mean, our store, you know, our grocery store. We can go right now, if you want."

"All right. I would like to see what a store is like." Samira suddenly disappeared in a cloud of misty gold.

"Eek!" Mokuba said with a start.

"Sorry," amended the falcon. "It must have startled you."

"Yeah."

"Lead me to this store. I will be flying above."

"Okay," Mokuba said eagerly. He left a scrawled note on the table: _Gone to the store._

And off they went. The falcon coasted lazily on the updrafts, following Mokuba as he walked through the streets.

She spied a building with the word _Kroger_ on it. This must be it.

Samira was transformed and waiting at the doors when Mokuba arrived. Suddenly she realized something. "Oh, no! My clothes… people are going to think I'm strange."

"No, it's really okay," Mokuba assured her. "Domino City is the definition of strange, beginning with its name. People wear capes around here all the time. Don't worry."

"That's good," she said, looking relieved; and they went into the store.

An hour later, they came out laden with shopping bags. After intense scrutiny, many foods hat Mokuba had never seen before passed Samira's test. Some included: pita bread, three kinds of hommus, baba ganouch, grapes, dates, figs, pine nuts, five loaves of sourdough, grape juice, four whole cucumbers and a roast chicken. There were also the basics: milk, apples, carrots, cereal, et cetera. It was a wonder that between the two of them they managed to get it home all in one trip.

After that, Samira got to work cooking something very elaborate in the kitchen (Mokuba had to explain to her how to work the oven and microwave first, but she caught on quickly). Two hours hence, it smelled really good.

Mokuba poked his head around the kitchen door. "When will it be done?"

"In about an hour. This is fun. I haven't cooked in a while. I'm going all out today."

"What are you making?"

"It's a surprise." Samira shooed Mokuba out of the kitchen. Lazily he flopped on the couch and turned on the television. He was only half-watching the show. Boy, would Seto be surprised when he came home. The kitchen was fully stocked and delicious aromas were wafting from it.

"Tomorrow I'm going to start on the other rooms," Samira called. "They all need a good dusting. Oh, by the way, where did Seto go?"

"I don't know," Mokuba replied. "Usually he has work off today, but he's probably somewhere else. I don't know where he goes a lot. Probably dueling…" Mokuba frowned.

Samira didn't reply. A buzzer rang on the stove. "Ah, done to a crisp," Mokuba heard. He smiled slightly. They were going to eat well tonight.

The front door opened, and Seto strode into the house. He stopped in his tracks and sniffed. "What _is_ that smell?" he demanded.

"Samira's making dinner. We went on a shopping trip."

"Hmph," Seto snorted, tossing his coat onto a sofa. He departed down the hall for the kitchen. Mokuba got up and followed.

"What are you doing in my kitchen?" he heard Seto say.

"Hah. I doubt you know how to cook. Now that there's a lady in this house, it's actually being put to good use. It's my kitchen now."

Mokuba snickered at his brother.

Seto didn't reply. He couldn't.

"Now go into the dining room. Dinner will be out in a few minutes."

He had no choice but to comply. The table was set, complete with plates, glasses and silverware.

Seto sat down rather uncertainly. Mokuba plopped down on a chair and made himself comfortable. "You should see what we got at the store," he told his brother. "Dinner's gonna be _so_ good, you won't believe it."

And it was. There were three kinds of lentils; a spicy sauce; grapes; roasted lamb, meat pies with pine nuts and seasoned with lemon juice; stuffed grape leaves, hommus with herbs; toasted pita bread; and a soft spongy bread that Samira said was from Ethiopia.

There was still tons of food leftover and Seto was already stuffed. Then Samira cleared the table and began to wash the dishes.

"So Seto, where were you today?" Mokuba asked, his eyes half-shut.

"KaibaCorp is developing a new simulation duel machine and I needed to go in again to try it out."

"Oh." Mokuba didn't really care; all that food had made him tired. He yawned. "I'm going upstairs now. Good night." Mokuba managed a malevolent grin before departing.

"Mokuba," Seto hissed frantically. "You can't just leave-"

His brother was gone. Seto sighed, annoyed. He got up and tried to leave too, but it was too late. He felt sharp talons clutch his shoulder; the falcon chirped deafeningly into his ear. "I'm going now," she said calmly. "I'll return tomorrow. See you then." And with a flutter of wings and a flurry of feathers, she went, out of the open dining room window.

_Good riddance,_ said a voice in Seto's head.

_Good riddance_! exclaimed another voice. That girl saved your life!

Seto shook his head to try to clear his thoughts. His mind was like a convention sometimes.

It didn't work. _Don't tell me you like her_, sneered the first voice. _I don't like anybody. The only one who matters is me. I live to serve only myself._

_Oh really?_ replied the other voice knowingly. _Then why did you help her, eh? That's not "serving yourself."_

_I owed her a favor_, the first voice said grumpily. _And I returned it. That's it. Nothing more._

_Hm. Then what about all of that stuff she said about Egypt?_

_Random babblings of a lunatic,_ whined the first voice.

_I'm so sure. She made you dinner, she cleaned up, and she's helping you out_._ Why are you so dead-set against other people?_

The first voice was silent.

The second voice chuckled. _It looks like there's going to be a new majority in the Senate! Pessimism, you're a minority now._

_Shut up._

_Sore loser!_

Seto blinked in surprise. The phantom conversation had gone as suddenly as it had come.

He decided to put it behind him. No point in brooding over it, right?

Yet as Seto was trying to fall asleep that night, no matter how hard he tried, he could not get the day's events out of his mind. Where had Samira come from? Was that Egypt rubbish really true? Who was the assassin, and why did he want to kill Seto?

The questions spun around in his head like a top, finally whirling Seto into sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"_Akunamon is dead," Tokep proclaimed in a subdued voice. His head was bowed in respect to the deceased pharaoh. The old man had served as the pharaoh's advisor for more than forty years, staying by Akunamon side to help him build and maintain a wealthy, powerful kingdom. _

"_Long live the pharaoh!" The shout went up through the royal city of Thebes. Through the streets the people wept for joy. The great empire of Egypt would see a new dawn with a new monarch on the throne. As Akunamon's first and only son, Atem would take up his father's mantle in the Great House. Now that his father was dead, the weight of Egypt was on Atem's shoulders. It was up to Atem to appoint all of his own staff, make his own choices, wage his own wars; to keep Egypt great and keep his people free. _

_The boy slumped to the floor of his bedchambers when he heard the news. First the terrible catastrophe of the shadow games, then the three infernal beasts, and now his father dead… Atem's life could not get much worse then this. The intense pressure on him was too much to bear._

_Atem knew that the first thing to do would be appointing his staff: an advisor, a head priest, a chief of guard, a war general; even a head chef, one that he could trust not to poison him._

_But the most important thing, he knew, was finding the proper people to control the seven Millennium Items that his father had created. Their wayward power had created the three Great Monsters and killed Pharaoh Akunamon, and Atem would have to get them under his control as soon as possible. _

_So he would have to find the remaining priests and priestesses, and go through the initiation ceremonies. Then the power would be complete and controlled. _

_Atem straightened up. If he were to be pharaoh, he would have to be confident of his power, not shrink away from it. He would have to believe in himself and his people. All of Egypt was depending on him. And he would rise to the challenge._

_The brown-haired boy sulked sullenly on the castle parapet. Of course his cousin had to get everything. Little Atemu, the mama's boy. And now he would wear the pharaoh's headdress. Finally the little fool knew what it felt like to be an orphan. But of course Atem "would rule wisely and well, and his people would love him," and all of that garbage. While Seto got nothing. Atem never knew what it felt like to be cast aside, to be shunted into the shadows._

_Seto's hands clenched angrily. He was second to the throne, if somehow Atem died…_

_No. He could not think like that. He had to keep his cool. He could not murder his own cousin. _

"_Young Master," called a guard from behind him. "The Pharaoh requests your presence in the throne room."_

_Seto rolled his eyes. "Coming," he grunted. He had to. Little Atemu was the pharaoh now. _

_He stalked behind the guard, keeping his back straight and eyes narrow, his face betraying nothing. _

_They came into the throne room. Atem was sitting on the throne at the far end of the room. He was dictating something to a royal scribe._

"_Ah, Seto," said Atem. "How are you, cousin?"_

_Seto shrugged. _

_Atem cleared his throat. "I have decided to make you the High Priest of Egypt. You will receive the Millennium Rod at the Initiation Ceremony in a month's time. I am sending out riders to find the proper people to control the other Items. As the High Priest you will be in charge of all of the other priests."_

_Seto stared suspiciously at Atem. Was he trying to buy him with the offer of the Millennium Rod, or what?_

_Yet there was nothing but sincerity in Atem's eyes._

"_I am not doing this to get you on my side. I'm doing this because I know you can do it, and… I trust you."_

_Seto blinked. _

"_So what do you say?"_

_He nodded curtly. "One month's time. Yes… pharaoh." Seto turned coldly and strode out of the room, his cape whipping out behind him._

The once-proud village was in ruins. Most of the tents had been burned, and several others were still smoking from the battle. It was as silent as the grave, with only the occasional wisp of sand casually whirling by, unaware of the recent horror that had occurred.

Two hooded figures interrupted the desolate scene. Pleased, they surveyed their handiwork.

"All of the warriors have been dealt with," hissed the first one in a snakelike voice.

"Good," growled the second. "What about the twins?"

"Possessed."

"Very good. Bring out the girl. I have a task." His yellow teeth glinted as he smiled evilly.

The first one scurried into a tent and emerged a moment later with a teenage girl in tow. Yet she did not look like your average teenage girl. She was dressed in a tunic with leather armor, wrist guards, gloves and knee-high boots. Several daggers were strapped to her wrists, ankles and belt. A long, thin, lethal-looking sword hung from her waist. A quiver full of arrows was slung over her shoulder, and in one hand she grasped a longbow, strung and polished.

She stood tall and proud in the sand, arms crossed. But there was something wrong. Her eyes were deep caves of nothingness, holding no emotion. It looked as if she were in a daze, or sleepwalking.

"What do you want?" she snarled in an almost non-human voice. It was layered with several different tones; all put together they were harsh and grating to the ears.

"I have a job for you, Azar," replied the first hooded figure. "You will learn what you must do if you put on this." He drew a pendant on a string from his pocket. It was a simple orb within which dark substances swirled. "All of the directions are in here."

Azar held out her hand. The hooded person gave her the pendant.

Indifferently, she put it around her neck. "I will need a horse to reach the Pharaoh," she growled.

The second hood trotted over with a horse, the reins in his hands. "This is our fastest," said the first hood. "It will get you where you need to go very quickly."

"Good." In one swift motion, Azar mounted the beast and kicked it into a gallop. The dust stirred around her, and she was off, fading away into the desert landscape.

"Soon we will have the tools we need, and we shall rule over the Tribe of the Scorpions," cackled the first hood. "The Pharaoh and the Priest will be dead, and then no one will stand in our way."

Over the next few days, Samira continued to visit the Kaibas during the daytime, but she would always leave before nightfall, although she never revealed where she went.

On the third day, Seto found a bag on the kitchen table. Curiously he opened it.

Inside were:

A set of 10 silver daggers

A dueling deck

A strange stringed instrument

Several scrolls

"That's mine," said a voice from the kitchen door.

Seto nearly jumped in surprise. "What's this?" he asked, pointing to the string instrument (mostly to get the pressure off of him).

"An oud," said Samira. She was frowning slightly. "That's strange how you were able to get in there. I have an anti-thief spell on that thing. Maybe it's worn off."

"Spell?" asked Seto skeptically.

"Yes, spell," said Samira, who was tracing something in the air above the bag. The pattern turned blue, then vanished. "That's better. Seto, touch it again."

He hesitated. "Oh, don't tell me you're afraid of my phony hocus-pocus tricks, eh?" she smirked.

"No!"

"Then touch it. I need to know if it works."

Reluctantly, he put one finger on the bag. Nothing happened.

Samira muttered something irritably in Arabic. She sighed and picked up the dueling deck. "Oh well, that can't be helped. Now, I want to see how well you can duel."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"…You… duel?"

"Yep." She sat down at the kitchen table and began to shuffle her deck. Seto delicately took his deck out of his pocket, where he always kept it. In his mind, he seriously doubted whether or not Samira could really duel. "You can go first," she said, five cards already in her hand.

"…Uh, okay…" He drew a card, and they began to duel.

What followed was perhaps the most… well, indescribable duel that was ever played. Every move one of them made, the other countered. Seto was feeling frustrated that he could not get by Samira's defenses. Whenever he tried to play a magic card, she always had some spell that he had never heard of before to negate it. In fact, none of the cards she had were familiar to him. The Palace Guard, the Palace Mage, the Archer, the Spy… and the trap and magic cards were worse. For every monster she had, she seemed to have three times as many of these. For the reader's sake I shall not name them all.

Samira seemed pleased rather than daunted when Seto finally figured out how to dissolve her strategy. "That's enough for today," she said, gathering up her cards and stowing them away. She stood up.

"Why did you want to duel me?" Seto asked quickly.

Samira stopped, and swiveled around. She fixed him with a golden stare. "To prepare you," she said slowly.

"For what?"

She just smiled mysteriously. "You will need these dueling skills for the near future."

"But I already have dueling skills!"

"Not enough to keep you alive. You're going to be in some pretty tough duels very soon, and you need to learn what I am teaching you."

"What duels? When?" But Samira had transformed back into the falcon, and took off through the open window into the falling dusk.

It was frustrating, how Samira seemed to know so much of his future, and he so little.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"This is perfect," growled Mortimer Leachman. "All three of the God Cards are in Domino City, in the hands of a weak little boy."

Abruptly, he barked to his assistant: "Ronald! How is the construction coming?"

"V-very well, sir. The fleet will be ready for attack in about a week, sir."

Leachman's face ripened to the color of a tomato. "A _week?_" he hissed in a dangerously quiet voice. "What did I just hear?"

Ronald wanted to sink into the floor. "Er—you heard… three days, sir. The fleet will be ready on three days."

Leachman smiled. Unfortunately, this did not make his face look any more attractive. It looked a bit like a rotting Jack-o-lantern, left out too long after Halloween. "Much better. That is what I like to hear." He spun the large leather chair around to face his assistant. "Now go, Ronald! Time is of the essence, you know." Ronald scurried out of the room.

Turning back to look at his computer screen, Leachman brought up the menu. He clicked on _Operation Flame Triad_, and selected _Urban Assault Fleet_. This displayed a list of the serial numbers and statuses of each and every one of the three hundred Aerial Assault Vehicles, or AAVs, that were being built specifically for this mission. He selected the flagship's number, 001. This ship had been nicknamed the_ King Ghidora, _after the flying three-headed beast from the Godzilla movies. This flagship had three engines; three control rooms, retractable wings, twelve booster engines, and thirty state-of-the-art cannons, each with its own programmable target search computer. It was Leachman's personal pride, for he had designed it himself. The _King Ghidora_'s three sections could split off into three separate ships, each with its own pilot. It was the cutting-edge technology that scientists were right now dreaming about.

The progress report read:

King Ghidora_ is the most complex vehicle ever constructed by this company. Work on this vehicle began on the 18th of March, and it is estimated that the _King Ghidora_ will be completed on May 30th._

Today was May 23rd. Leachman hoped to launch the operation as soon as possible. The projected date of completion was, as always, "behind his schedule." So his experts would have to tweak the _King Ghidora _so it could be ready in three days. What of it? Leachman was not worried about the upcoming assault on Domino City; he was exhilarated.

His old business partner, Gozaburo Kaiba, had vanished several years ago. Apparently his adopted son, Seto Kaiba had taken over the company of KaibaCorp and transformed it from a top producer of tanks, guns and other state-of-the-art weapons into an international, multibillion gaming corporation. Leachman had always been envious of KaibaCorp's higher status in the world of weapons technology, but now the company no longer dealt in that field. And Leachman was finally ready to strike, to incorporate all of his utilities to gain control of KaibaCorp, and take all three God Cards.

Ronald's voice filled the room as the intercom crackled to life. "Mr. Leachman, sir?"

"What is it, Ronald?"

"Sir, the spy you had sent has… returned."

He said the last word with uncomfortable emphasis. Leachman frowned and shifted in his chair. "What do you mean by that?"

"I think you had better come down here, sir."

Leachman did not like the sound of that. "Very well, Ronald." He removed himself from his chair. A sliding metal door in the wall rolled back to reveal a small glass room. It was Leachman's personal elevator, and was powered by pneumatics. He sat down on one of the velvet cushioned seats in the tube and pressed the control button that would shut the door and blast him down to the antechamber, where Ronald was waiting with the spy. Or what was left of the spy.

In three or four seconds, the elevator bell dinged, and the doors opened to reveal a gruesome scene.

The spy that Leachman had sent to Domino City was lying on a stretcher on the floor. He had suffered several head and arm wounds, but worst of all was the state of his eyes. They were completely hollow; lifeless sockets that could no longer see. Paramedics and nurses swarmed around the limp man, checking heart rate, breathing, taking temperatures and assessing blood loss.

Leachman swore vehemently as he stepped out of the pneumatic. "What in the name of Lucifer has happened here?"

Ronald was hovering nervously by the exit door. "He was attacked very viciously, sir," he said unnecessarily.

"I can see that, you fool! By what, may I ask?"

"This man suffers from multiple gouge wounds to his head, neck, eyes and hands," said a paramedic. "Whatever attacked him had the nastiest, sharpest claws."

"The scratches are too large to be from any sort of cat," added another paramedic. "There are also no bite marks to be found, so that rules out a dog. These wounds seem to be made by very large claws of some sort."

"Perhaps… talons?" suggested a nurse.

"Hmmm," said the paramedic, nodding slowly.

"Addison, take a look at this!" one of the nurses exclaimed, holding up a bloodstained feather.

"Holy Moses," said Addison, examining the feather. "So this guy _was_ attacked by a bird."

"Whatever he was attacked by, he needs immediate medical attention," interrupted the head nurse. "Take him to the operating room, now! He will need blood transfusions to compensate for the blood loss!"

Leachman sighed irritably as the man was hurried away on the stretcher. "You are telling me a _bird_ nearly killed that man?"

"Yes, sir," said the head nurse. "Specifically, a very large one. A raptor, I'd say."

"So obviously, my spy was unsuccessful."

"Yes, sir."

"We have examined his gun, sir," said Leachman's head engineer, stepping into the room.

"What have you found?"

"One of the darts was fired, sir."

Leachman swore again. "It _missed?_"

"Most likely, seeing as he did not return with his quarry."

"That was my best man! Turner does not _miss_! Neither does he get attacked by giant flying menaces!"

"It seems he did, sir."

"That's what bothers me. How could one measly birdie stop my most elite spy?" Leachman began to pace the room.

Ronald muttered something. "What was that?" Leachman said, suddenly spinning around.

"Attack birds," said Ronald, quivering under Leachman's glare. "Perhaps…"

Comprehension dawned on Leachman's face. Unfortunately, it was replaced by anger in about three seconds. "_Attack birds_? That foolish adolescent has _attack birds_? Why didn't we find out sooner, _before_ I sent Turner on this blasted operation?"

"There was absolutely no indication that… the quarry was harboring… er, attack birds as a precaution," Ronald shot back bravely.

"Hmph," snorted Leachman. He began to pace again.

"Perhaps we should interview Turner after he comes out of surgery," suggested the head engineer.

Leachman stopped. He turned slowly. "And then… we shall get an exact account." He slowly smiled, a rather poisonous expression. And nodded. "That is what we shall do. And in the meantime, _get to work_!" he shouted abruptly.

The head engineer jumped. Ronald jumped higher. They both exited rather hastily.

Back at his desk, Leachman folded his fingers. A minor setback. No matter. Soon KaibaCorp would be his, and he would personally exterminate each and every one of those damned _attack birds._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_It is the day. It is the day of sorrow, the day of the broken gate and the hungry fire. I can feel it in the air. The cold taste of metal is on my tongue, and the smell of death curdles in my nose. The sky is bleak and grey. Today is the day. _

She carefully rolled up the scroll and stowed it away in her bag. The unnatural silence made shivers run up her spine. No birds sang, nor dogs barked. The animals knew something was wrong. Her muscles were tensed; her breathing was fast and shallow. If she could pull this off today, it would take a load off her back.

A flock of sparrows hurried past Samira's window. Quickly she shifted forms. _No good, no good! _they twittered in her mind. She dived into the open air, her talons opening, and lunged into the flock. A tiny, shrieking mass of feathers struggled to free itself from her claw.

Perching on the windowsill, the falcon held the sparrow up in one claw while she stood on the other. _I will not eat you, unless you become disagreeable. _

_You are disagreeable, you dirty, nasty beast! Dirty! Nasty! YAAAAAAAK! _

Stupid sparrows. They seldom spoke in full sentences, and when the occasion called for it, they were usually insults.

_Silence. I won't harm you. Now tell me, what have you seen that is making you so hysterical? _

_YAAAAAAAAAAK! Giant! Nasty! _

_Excuse me? _

_They roar and scream! Roar! Scream! Giant! Nasty! Many men! Flying! YAAAAAAAAAAAK! _

_Men? In the sky? _

_Yes! In the giant, nasty screaming things! Many wings, many wings! No good!_

So, it was true. It was finally upon them. A shudder went through the falcon's body, fear flooding her.

_YAAAAAAAAAAAK! You are not holding to your oath, nasty beast! Let me free! YAAAAAAAAAAK! _

_I suppose I shall, or I think I will get a headache._

_Serves you right!_

The falcon released the sparrow from her iron grip. The little brown bird flapped furiously to join its fellows, who were twittering concernedly among themselves in a nearby tree.

She chuckled to herself –sparrows were just impossible- and hopped back inside the window. But as Samira dressed, she stowed all ten silver daggers away in her clothes: at her wrists, ankles, in her pockets and concealed inside her cloak. She was not the best fighter for reasons already mentioned, but the daggers could come in handy nonetheless.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs, a recipe in the cookbook that Samira had unearthed from the deep recesses of the highest kitchen cabinet. But her mind was not on the food in front of her. It was on the preparations that would need to be made. They would need to pack. Samira couldn't just say, "You're going to Egypt, get packing." That would make no sense. So she would have to pack for them. How tedious.

Seto left for work, but as it was a Saturday, Mokuba stayed home. The tension and silence was too great for Samira, she was too restless to sit still, but too jumpy to play her oud or cook something.

"Mokuba, would you like to go get some ice cream?" asked Samira, poking her head into Mokuba's room. He was sitting on the floor in a bored fashion, reading a comic book.

"Yeah!" he said, discarding the comic and jumping to his feet.

Soon Mokuba was trotting down Fifth Avenue with an ice cream cone in one hand, the falcon coasting above. He sat down on a park bench and began to slurp up the ice cream enthusiastically. The falcon perched in a nearby tree, gripping the branch more tightly than usual. Fear hung in the air like a sickly perfume. The slightest noises made the falcon twitch. She felt tired, but could not close her eyes. The time was too near.

Suddenly the voice of the little sparrow that she had interrogated that morning shrieked shrilly, both in her mind and through the air. The falcon fell off of the branch. She caught herself just in time, and turned the fall into a dive. Pushing off of the ground, the falcon folded her wings close to her body and swerved sharply, toward the source of the shriek. The flock of sparrows, a small inkblot on the blue canvas of the sky, was in a terrified frenzy. Lunging into the cluster of birds, she reached out and snatched the sparrow from the air.

_YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK! Not you again! Not now!_

_Calm down. What is going on?_

_The monsters! The giants! Nasty! Metal! Scream! They are here! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!_

_Here? In the city?_

_They approach! Closing in! Dive from the sky they do, like you nasty beasts they are! _

_Twice I could have eaten you now, yet I spared you. Do not call me a nasty beast._

'_Poligize! Don't hurt! The metal giants are coming! They will come to the city! Run! Must—go—run… _The sparrow struggled fruitlessly to free itself from the falcon's hold. She swooped back down to the park, landing in a tree.

_I see nothing. When will they be here?_

_Soon! The monsters come with many thunderings! Very fast, faster than you na— you big birds! Any moment, any moment!_

"Hey! You let go of that poor little sparrow!" cried the brown-haired girl that the falcon had seen at the coffee shop with the pharaoh a week ago. She took a swing with her purse at the branch where the falcon and her quarry were perched.

"Wait! Téa! Stop!" shouted Mokuba, jumping from the bench.

_What a wonderful meeting at the park_, thought the falcon as she released the sparrow. It zoomed high off into the sky, alarmed by Téa's attack.

The falcon stayed put on the branch. She gave Téa a shrill warning and flapped her wings.

"But that mean bird was going to kill the sparrow!" protested Téa as Mokuba tugged her arm.

A smaller girl with long, brown hair came to stand beside Téa to observe the falcon. "Everything has to eat, you know," she said in a quiet voice. The falcon supported this statement with a trill. The bird pushed off from the branch and alighted on the back of the park bench.

"It's kind of cute, don't you think?" said the girl, tilting her head to one side as she regarded the falcon.

Mokuba didn't really know what to say.

"Humph. I'm glad I saved that sparrow," grumbled Téa.

"Far from it, lady," said the falcon dryly. "I let it go."

"Eek!" shouted the two girls together. Mokuba laughed, but looked a little worried. He shot the falcon a quizzical glance.

And then the noise. It tore through the air, almost too low for the humans to hear. It vibrated through the ground and through their bones. Mokuba clenched his teeth as his eyes watered painfully. "What was _that_?" said the girl.

"Téa! Serenity! Mokuba!" The shout came from the entrance to the park. Two boys were dashing toward them. The falcon recognized them from the coffee shop. "We were going to the park, and that boom-"

"Sounded like a sonic boom," said Tristan.

"Hah! Sounded like a bomb to me," said Joey.

The cold fear pierced the falcon's heart. It was finally happening.

Screams erupted from beyond the park. "What's going on?" said Téa worriedly, taking a step back.

And then the humming. Loud and low, like a swarm of angry bees. Columns of smoke rose to cloud the sky, and the screams grew louder. And then the most terrible sight of all… hundreds of planes, filling the sky to blot out the sun. The humming gained intensity, making the very leaves on the trees quiver.

Red jets of light —laser guns— connected with buildings, shattering the metal and glass on contact. The deafening sounds of screeching metal and breaking glass rent the air. Téa, Tristan, Joey, Serenity and Mokuba were crouched to the ground, hands over their ears. The falcon cowered underneath the park bench.

Mokuba's eyes suddenly grew wide with fright. "Seto!" He tried to get to his feet, but a sudden shock wave knocked him right over.

Someone grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet. It was Samira. "Let's go," she said solemnly.

"Hey, where did that girl come from?" exclaimed Tristan. "What in the-"

"Where are you going?" cried Téa. "Wait!"

"It's dangerous!" pleaded Serenity.

Mokuba stopped, looked back, and fell over. "Ugh. We have to save Seto!" The two faded into the dust and chaos.

"This is crazy!" shouted Joey over the din. "If we stay in the same place, we're gonna get blasted! We have to get out of here!"

"Yugi's house is the closest," said Tristan.

"Let's go," Téa said firmly. And they were off, stumbling when the ground shook, and dodging bits of rubble.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"We have a breaking news report from Domino City," said the anchorman. "Here is Rick Ferenzi, live."

"I am here in Domino City, which is now the scene of major chaos. Apparently an unknown warfare tycoon has launched his— one second, folks." Rick had to throw himself aside as a piece of metal the size of a computer crashed to the ground. Rick got up and dusted off his glasses. "Well, this is a red-alert terror zone, as you can see. Various urban assault vehicles, which include fighter jets, tanks, and some weapons we have never seen before are attacking Domino City. The U.S. army has been notified, and combat specialists will arrive within a day. Unfortunately this might be too- Oh!"

A huge explosion was heard, and the television screen was filled with white noise.

The wolf shivered, and unfolded herself from the rug she was lying on. She would be glad when this was all over.

She trotted to the cockpit, where a teenager sat at the controls. His clothes were unremarkable: simple brown leggings with bindings at the ankles, boots, a sleeveless shirt and a navy blue cape. He wore pilot's goggles over his eyes, and operated the gadgets of the airplane with an air of expertise. "What is it, Ramla?" he asked.

"The news reporter covering Domino City just got exploded," she replied. "We need to get there soon, or Leachman'll burn it to the ground."

"We're almost there. See-"

He stopped, the breath caught in his throat.

What had once been the skyline of Domino City was afire. Smoke billowed from the city as if a dragon were on the rampage. The ocean around it reflected a deep bloodred, and the sky was also sporting crimson.

"Oh, gods," breathed Marik. He plucked the radio from its clip on the dashboard and spoke into it. "All fighters come in. This is Alpha One. Beta One and Gamma One, take your fighters to flank Alpha's arrowhead advance. Beta, go to the left, and Gamma, go to the right. Delta, cover below, and Epsilon, above. Squadrons Zeta to Lambda, you are in charge of combating Leachman's fighter jets. Mu to Rho, take on the ground assault vehicles. Sigma to Omega, you make sure that the civilians are protected. Now move in! Over and out."

The twenty-four squadrons flew into formation. There were twenty fighters to each squadron, and 480 jets total in Marik's fleet. There was also the flagship, which was so large it could house fifty of the fighter jets inside of it at one time. This ship was hovering (if it was possible for something that weighed more than two hundred tons to hover) five miles out to sea, waiting for the return of the fighter jets.

The wolf regarded Marik with emotionless, silver eyes. "What if this does not work?"

"It will work. I have faith in my pilots," Marik said firmly, but the wolf detected a slight falter in his face. She caught him with a deep stare that seemed to chill his very bones.

"If my sister is killed," the wolf hissed dangerously, "All will be lost. The balance will be upset, the Time Cleft will rent the world in two, the-"

"Ramla," pacified Marik nervously. "Just calm down. My pilots can take on Leachman's fleet, I know they can. Now, let's review the plan."

"Find the Pharaoh, find the Priest, find my sister," said the wolf in an almost bored voice. "Fight the bad guys, pick up any extra people, and get the hell out of here." She spat out the last words with iciness that made Marik's skin tingle painfully. With a snarl, the wolf turned and slunk out of the room, her tail held high.

"Jeez," said the co-pilot. "Temper, temper."

Marik shrugged. "Well, she grows on you."

"Hopefully."

"She's just nervous, I think. It's been… a long time since she's actually been in hand-to-hand combat."

He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "All right. Let's go." The plane picked up speed, and cruised off toward the city.

The room was filled with smoke. Coughing, Seto crouched low to the ground, where there was less of it. He steadied himself as another muffled boom rocked the building. He could hear glass breaking somewhere.

His brain seemed to be functioning slower than usual. He had to get out of here, or he would be burned. But the question on his mind would not go away: what was happening? It had felt like a large earthquake at first, and then the fire had started, but the humming noise could be nothing other than some sort of plane. But why would planes be attacking Domino City?

_Got to get out of here…_

His briefcase sat by the door. Seto grabbed it, and got on his knees to locate the doorknob. There it was- he twisted it, and the door opened.

The smoke in the hall was worse. He had to stop every ten feet to cough. And then thought—_where am I going_? It would be too risky to try and get to the ground floor. So he would have to go up to the roof. Luckily, there was a helicopter up there, and he could use it to escape. If he didn't get shot down by a plane…

A small light in the shape of a triangle glowed out of the hazy darkness. Of course! The elevator! The power was still on.

With a shaking hand, he pressed the button. There was a faint _ding_ as the doors open, and he crawled inside.

Slumping on the floor, he closed his eyes and rested for a moment. And then the horrible realization came to him- where were Mokuba and Samira?

"Good morning," said the automated voice of the elevator, totally oblivious to the present chaos. "Which floor would you like?"

"Roof," he said weakly.

"Affirmed," replied the automated voice, and the elevator began to move. A sick feeling took hold of Seto, the sensation that an iron hand was clenching his stomach. Sometimes one gets this feeling when riding in an elevator, but the uneasiness had nothing to do with his choice of transportation. What if something had happened to his brother? And Samira, she wouldn't know what to do in a crisis like this; she had probably never seen a plane in her life.

He had abandoned them. He had left them to die.

The muffled _ding_ sounded again, and the elevator doors opened. Seto had to force himself to get up and exit the elevator. The sight below only made the queasiness grow even worse.

The whole city seemed to be on fire. Black fighter planes circled like vultures over a dead carcass, swooping in and shooting at buildings. Each gunfire made a distant _boom_ that made Seto's teeth ache. He could hear breaking glass, and even people screaming. And Mokuba and Samira were down there somewhere…

How could he have been so stupid? They were probably dead right now, and it was his entire fault…

He shivered, feeling miserable, and pulled his jacket closer around him. The wind up here was murder. _Well, I'd better get into the helicopter._

And then came the sound. It was a small sound, and a rather annoying sound, but it was a sound that Seto most wanted to hear.

_Ding._

"Seto!"

The iron hand released from his stomach, leaving a whole herd of fluttery butterflies in its place.

"S-Samira?"

"You're all right! I thought you were dead!"

"So did I."

She dragged Mokuba out of the elevator, for he was lying on the ground, looking very pale.

Seto paled also, and rushed over to his brother. He bent down beside him. "What's-"

"He breathed in too much smoke," Samira said worriedly. "He collapsed in the elevator, fortunately, or I wouldn't have been able to carry him." Seto saw that Samira looked ready to collapse herself; she was breathing heavily, her eyelids halfway shut. "What are we going to do, Seto?"

For once Seto was indecisive. If they got into the chopper, they ran the risk of being shot down by the fighter jets. If they stayed here, they could also be picked off.

He noticed Samira was watching the horizon with an almost impatient look on her face. "What are you looking for?" he asked.

"Oh," said Samira, turning quickly back to him. "Well… actually, there's supposed to be help arriving soon."

"What? How do you know?" he said suspiciously.

Just then a loud humming noise prevented them from conducting any more conversation, and to their horror, it came from a fighter jet, zooming their way.

Samira backed away, as if that might put distance between her and the jet.

It was strange, because as the plane's vibrating whine filled the air, Seto noticed that it had wings, but it did not have regular wheels like a fighter should. In the wheels' place was a set of landing legs like helicopters have. And he realized—

The plane swerved downward, stirring up a vicious wind. It settled on the roof, metal gleaming in the sun. The noise was deafening.

A beam of red light shot through the air. With an earsplitting bang, the helicopter was reduced to a smoking, charred heap of rubble. Their only way of escape was gone.

Mokuba whimpered and began to cough, just as the cockpit of the plane opened. As Seto moved toward his brother, a gun fired. Mokuba cried out in pain, Seto in disbelief and Samira in fear. Bu their shouts were drowned out by a new presence, far louder and frightening than anything. Above the red-tinted sea rose an arrow-shaped formation- a swarm of fighter planes descending from the sky. A new round of bullets whined harshly as the planes led a counterattack. The enemy planes, caught unawares, were exploded right out of the air.

"Mokuba!" shouted Seto over the din. Chills ran through his heart… his brother laid on the ground, blood slowly trickling from a shallow gash in his head…

Smoke and dust whirled, obscuring his vision. More explosions rent the air, shaking the very foundations of the building. He heard Samira shout something next to him, but he couldn't see her, the dust was so thick.

And then a wind stirred as another plane settled on the roof. The smoke cleared to reveal a grisly scene.

The pilot of the fighter that had shot Mokuba was out of his jet, which has been bombed to pieces. Another plane, also with helicopter legs, was perched on the edge of the roof. The glass was tinted, and Seto was unable to see who was inside. But what was happening outside was scary enough.

The pilot grimly produced a huge machine gun from his jacket, took aim briefly, and fired.

Time seemed frozen… the bullet whizzed through the air, toward… a wolf (a _wolf?_) standing calmly next to the second plane. But it never made contact. Now the wolf was dissolving in a fog of silver sparks dancing around it, and Seto was reminded strongly of how Samira transformed. He would have glanced over at her to see what she thought, but he was transfixed, and found he could not move.

And then a girl stood where the wolf had been. Jet-black hair falling past her shoulders in wavy locks, creamy, light brown skin, and silver-grey eyes colder than winter. In one swift motion, even as she transformed, she brought a fist up over her head, as if in defiance.

The bullet _zing_ed, deflecting right off of her, for there was some sort of metal cuff clasped about her wrist that shielded her. Seto's breath caught in his throat; no metal was strong enough to withstand a bullet taken at such a close range!

Nanoseconds after the bullet had made contact, the girl launched herself forward, all of her motions still seeming like one smooth movement, divinely choreographed. Airborne, she unsheathed a sword that hung from her waist; the sun glinted off of it in such a way that Seto was blinded. He was glad of this, for he did not want to see the pilot being gutted. There was a blinding flash of violet light, and then it was over.

He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

And then Samira and the girl were embracing, and he noticed how much alike they were. The warrioress turned to him, regarding him with an icy indifference. "So you are Seto," she said in a voice that brought to mind a cold arctic wind.

Seto was too shocked to reply. He kept silent as the girl bent down next to Mokuba and lightly touched his forehead. She spoke to Samira in some odd language, and Samira nodded. "This boy will live," said the girl. "He suffers a concussion and some blood loss, but he will be fine."

Relief flooded Seto, and almost for a moment, everything seemed better. But it wasn't. Chaos was going on all around them. He opened his mouth to speak, but the girl shook her head. "There will be time for questions later," she said. "We must get into the plane. The Pharaoh needs help."

Wondering what that meant, and if it had anything to do with Yugi, Seto followed Samira and the warrioress, who was carrying Mokuba, into the plane. The entrance was in the belly of the fighter, and the interior was bigger that it looked. They came into a small corridor, which the two girls hurried down. At the end was the cockpit, with a pilot that Seto never knew he would see again.

Marik Ishtar turned and saluted him, nodding his head. "We meet again, Kaiba," he said. Seto nodded courteously back. A co-pilot glanced at them and then went back to adjusting some controls. "What's the news, Ramla?" Marik asked the girl with silver eyes.

"His brother is unconscious," she said, jerking her head toward Seto. "I will bind his head wound, but when we return to the flagship additional treatment will be needed."

"Very well. And of the Pharaoh?"

"We need to reach him quickly. There is not much time."

"Right." Marik pressed some controls and then grasped the joystick, and the jet rose slowly into the air. He turned to the three. "There is a small passenger's room at the other end of the corridor. You should probably buckle your seat belts."

It was very small. No more than six feet high was the ceiling, so Seto had to duck down when they entered. There were four padded seats and seatbelts, but no windows.

They sat in uncomfortable silence as the plane flew across the city. Several times they were jarred by the evasive maneuvers Marik had to make to dodge enemy fire.

Ramla carefully laid Mokuba on her lap. It was obvious that she was very strong, and though the two girls appeared to be related, they emitted very different auras. While Samira was delicate and graceful, Ramla was quietly intense and deliberate. Quite disturbingly, Ramla opened her mouth to reveal four very unnaturally sharp canine teeth, and tore a strip of fabric from her cape, which she wrapped around Mokuba's head to curb the bleeding.

Suddenly a frantic call came from down the hallway. "_Ihyangar! Eil-Per'o farakh nenem ihyangar!"_ It was an alien language, but was strangely familiar. And Seto understood every word. "Fire! The Pharaoh's house has been destroyed by fire!"

All three rose from their seats, unbuckling the seatbelts. Without a word, Ramla handed Mokuba to Seto and transformed. The silver wolf shot out of the room and down the hall. The plane came to a slow halt and the belly-door opened. With a flick of her tail, she left the jet.

Samira and Seto, who was carrying Mokuba, hurried to the cockpit. Marik and the co-pilot sat dourly at the controls. Through the glass, they could see the gaming shop that Yugi lived in. It was in smoking ruins, being consumed by hungry red flames licking at it relentlessly. Something in Seto's brain sort of snapped as he wondered if Yugi was still alive. Should he worry about him? Mixed emotions whirled about in his mind… he didn't know what to think anymore…

Like vultures circling around a carcass, five fighter jets continuously swooped in at the shop, taking potshots at it. And among all of the destruction, a flash of silver told Seto that Ramla was entering the building. The question was, would she come out alive?

And then through the dust, four people struggled through the wreckage, determinedly heading toward the burning house instead of away from it. They were Yugi's friends, Téa, Tristan, Serenity and Joey.

_If they're not careful, they're going to get squashed by falling debris_, thought Seto.

Another explosion literally rocked the plane, and Samira was thrown against Seto. It was lucky that she didn't weigh very much, or she could have crushed Mokuba. Marik caught her elbow and pulled her back up. "You all right?" he said.

Samira nodded. "Thanks," she said softly. Marik gave her a smile that seemed to send a message as well as warmth.

She turned to Seto. "You should strap Mokuba in, in the passenger room. He needs to rest." Seto nodded grimly and departed, glad to leave. It had been very awkward back there, and he did not want a repeat experience.

"Those people are crazy!" exclaimed Marik, gesturing toward the four outside. "They will get buried!"

Joey and company had stopped a good twenty feet away from the destroyed building, where they stood uncertainly, looking fearfully up at the fire.

And then out of the smoking doorway came three people, dragging a fourth person, an old man. He struggled, and one of his captors bashed him over the head with the butt of their gun. Samira shivered at such cruelty. "That poor old man!" she cried. "We have to do something!"

Marik looked at her sorrowfully. "I cannot. If I risked firing at them, I would hit the old man. Ramla is inside the house, rescuing the Pharaoh-- he is our first priority."

The four newcomers tried to pursue the three thugs, but were not successful. The thugs mounted three hoverbikes, putting the captive on the back of one. They kicked off into the sky and were gone.

He gently set his hand on her shoulder. Lightly Samira leaned into him; eyes glimmering with unshed tears at the brutal vulgarity she had just witnessed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

The wolf dodged another falling timber, dragging the limp Yugi by his collar. The smoke was making her eyes sting and her lungs burn… now where was the door?…

Hazy fingers of light shone through, and she could hear shouts over the crackling of flames. She headed toward the noise and the light, and tumbled out into open air. Yugi began to cough as his lungs breathed in oxygen once more.

She let him rest for several seconds, but knew they had to continue. Grabbing his collar in her teeth, she dragged him farther, out toward the street.

"Yugi!" a girl screamed. A small group of people charged over to them, clustering around the fallen Yugi. "Come on, man, you gotta speak to me!" pleaded Joey. Yugi continued to cough.

"There is no time for that," said the wolf impatiently. "We must get onto the plane and leave."

"Those criminals just took Yugi's grandpa!" protested Téa, thinking, _that makes two talking animals so far._

"If you want to be taken also, you may stay here," said the wolf. She picked up Yugi again and began to trot toward the plane.

"Hey! Where you goin'?" shouted Joey. "Don't leave us behind!"

"Yeah! Wait up!" yelled Tristan. The four dashed in hot pursuit.

_Cowards. I knew they would come,_ thought the wolf as she entered the jet. In a shower of silver sparks, Ramla appeared, and picked up Yugi in her strong arms. In the passenger's cabin, she buckled him up next to the unconscious Mokuba and returned to the cockpit. The two pilots fired up the engines, and the plane rose into the air and zoomed away. Marik spoke into the radio, "All planes return to the flagship. I repeat, all planes return to the flagship. Over and out."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Meryl whizzed above the wrecked city on a hoverbike she had taken from one of the thugs. It had been pretty simple; she only had to use one bullet on him.

You might be wondering several things, including

What importance does Meryl Shikibu have to this story?

How did she escape the KaibaCorp building unharmed?

What do you mean, "she only had to use one bullet?"

Well, there are a couple of things you need to know about Meryl Shikibu. But first I need to explain to you the power of atmosphere.

It is like a sixth sense, atmosphere is. Atmosphere is, simply put, the ability to sense the movements of living things within a given radius of the person. In this case, Meryl. Atmospherics, as we will call them, can stretch or shrink their radius to suit their needs, but no greater range has ever been achieved than a maximum of seven miles. Indeed, it would be a strain on the nerves to sense the actions of every organism around you, so for this reason atmospherics can focus in on one organism at a time.

This skill was essential to Meryl, for atmosphere was her visual crutch. There was something very wrong with Meryl's eyesight. Every year she found she could see less and less. Even the thickest glasses were not helping anymore. Meryl had to squint to see and could barely read the KaibaCorp accounts. She feared she would lose her job, and that her sight would leave altogether. And then atmosphere would be the only way to see… she would no longer be able to read, to write, to draw…

But she could still shoot a gun.

Meryl's mother was from America, and her ancestors were cowboys and ranchers in Texas. Naturally, a gun was an important asset in the old Wild West. The talent of sharpshooting had been passed down through Meryl's family. Meryl herself possessed several guns, many of them heirlooms. Her favorite was a Henry Deringer .32 RF Revolver that had been used by Raymond Calloway, the first to shoot down the infamous bandit Slippery San. Meryl polished it every night and always kept it loaded. It had come in handy today. It had been hard enough first being stuck in the burning building, then losing her glasses. She had stumbled out of KaibaCorp, coughing and squinting, when a thug had swooped down on his hoverbike and grabbed her. One bullet had taken care of him, and now Meryl had a hoverbike all to herself. She was good with mechanics and technology; it was second nature.

Scanning the scene below, she spied a house that seemed to have been specially targeted. It was barely identifiable as a building, just a smoking pile of rubble. She zoomed downward for a closer look. Meryl no longer had to look out for enemy fighter planes, the tide of the battle had turned and most had been shot down by the second fleet.

A jolt went through Meryl as she recognized someone down on the ground; there was Mr. Kaiba, getting into one of the second fleet jets! Where was he going?

Meryl flew down to investigate.

"Holy crap!" shouted Joey. "It's one of them flying bikes!"

"It's coming right this way!" exclaimed Tristan.

Samira looked at it shrewdly as it drew closer. "You don't have to worry," she said. "I don't think she will hurt us."

"She?" said Joey and Tristan together.

They all watched as the bike drew closer. Seto gaped as he realized who it was.

"That's my secretary!" he said.

"Really?" Téa said interestedly. "Is knowing how to fly one of those a job requirement?"

Seto ignored her and watched with a closed face as the bike came to a halt on the ground near them. He walked over to Meryl, speaking in a low voice. She nodded and replied. He said something grimly and then turned to the group. "So where is it we're going?"

"To Egypt," said Samira casually.

"Awesome!" chorused Joey and Tristan. "Man, I've always wanted to see a mummy!" added Tristan.

"Wait a minute," said Seto. "I bet this has something to do with that Pharaoh garbage-"

"It is not garbage," said Samira coldly, "And if you wish to stay in this ruined city, be my guest."

Seto blinked as he thought twice.

"Besides, there is a team of doctors on Marik's airship," she added. "I doubt the hospital here would be able to treat him."

That did it. "Fine," Seto growled.

Samira stepped forward and extended her hand to Meryl. "I'm Samira," she said. "You're welcome to come along."

Meryl smiled and introduced herself. "Thanks," she said gratefully.

Space was cramped on the plane, but they all managed to fit. Téa, Serenity, Joey and Tristan went into the passenger's cabin, and Seto, Samira, Ramla, and Meryl came into the cockpit.

"We have to get back to the flagship before Leachman decides to send reinforcements," said Marik, igniting the engines. He guided the plane down the street, which was now laddered with potholes, and it slowly became airborne. Meryl watched with interest.

Soon they were cruising high above the ocean. The wolf was curled up underneath the dashboard, dozing. Samira became the falcon to create more space, and perched on Seto's shoulder. Meryl looked on in curiosity. "Don't ask," Seto said confidentially. Meryl blushed furiously.

While Marik explained the controls to Meryl, the falcon and the wolf spoke together softly in the old language. Seto couldn't catch all of their conversation, but he heard three words—"Lion," "brother" and "Cairo."

Was there, perhaps, a third?


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Yugi stirred and groaned. "What's going on?" he said. "Where am I?"

"You're awake!" said Téa joyfully.

"Yeah man, it's about time," added Joey.

"You feeling okay?" asked Tristan.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He began to cough.

"You inhaled too much smoke," said Serenity worriedly. "Guys, we shouldn't make him talk."

"Okay, then I'll talk!" said Joey.

"You sure are good at doing that," Téa said snidely.

"So this evil army attacked the city," Joey began. "And then, you got rescued by this talking wolf, and Kaiba has this talking falcon who can turn into a girl, and Marik picked us up and now we're on our way to Egypt!"

"Slow down," said Yugi. "Did you say Egypt?"

Téa nodded. "Do you think it has something to do with your fate?" she asked quietly.

Yugi sighed. "I don't know. But I do remember a wolf… it saved me from the fire, didn't it?"

"It's on the plane right now," said Joey.

"Apparently, there are two talking, transforming animals on this jet right now," said Tristan. "And they both freak me out."

"What-" Yugi fell into another coughing fit. He recovered and said, "What did you say about Kaiba? And the falcon that… turns into a _girl?_"

"Obviously, he hasn't really told us a lot," said Tristan.

"Wait a minute," Téa said. "I remember reading a book about the Egyptian gods. One of them was a falcon. And another was a jackal, which is kind of like a wolf." She paused, deep in thought. "You're the Pharaoh, and Kaiba's some kind of sorcerer from ancient Egypt. I'm thinking… that the falcon is kind of like his guardian, and the wolf is yours."

"Yeah, but what's the deal with them turning into _people_?" said Joey.

"If they're gods, then they have lots of powers that we can't understand," put in Serenity.

"Gods?" said Yugi, his eyes wide. He thought silently, _what do you think of that, Yami?_

Yugi was strangely silent.

_Yami?_

_Sorry, Yugi. I was just thinking… the wolf and the falcon… they seem so… familiar… but I can't recall…_

_Your memory from ancient Egypt is lost, but what if you remember them from when you were Pharaoh?_

_So you're saying, they were around in ancient Egypt, too?_

_That makes some sense. But why would gods come to ancient Egypt?_

_If it were in trouble, or needed protecting, perhaps. I heard what Téa said about the guardians. If the wolf rescued you from the fire, and the falcon and Kaiba…_

_So they protect us, and help us out. Maybe the gods helped up defeat the evil and save the world 5,000 years ago! _

_But why are they back? That's what I want to know._

_Because maybe… Egypt needs our help again. _

_And that's where we're headed. Well, Yugi, my past and present are finally colliding. Maybe I can get my memory back. I would like to talk with this wolf and see if I can remember anything._

_All right. Sounds good._

_You need to rest now, Yugi. You've had a hard day._

_Tell me about it._

Yugi related the conversation to his friends. "Yami really might get his memory back?" said Téa. "If that wolf really is from his past, then it could trigger total recall!"

"Whaaaaat?" said Joey.

"It's when you remember everything that you forgot, you moron. Like people with amnesia? If a certain object or person can strongly remind them of the past, they can get their memory back."

"Don't you have to get hit by a car to get amnesia?" asked Tristan.

Téa rolled his eyes. "Do you really think a Pharaoh could get hit by a car?"

"Maybe a chariot or whatever they had back then," said Joey.

Téa sighed disdainfully. "The Pharaoh had to sacrifice his memory when he saved the world, dimwits."

Meanwhile, Yugi had fallen into a light sleep. "Shhh!" said Serenity. "Don't wake him up!"

Yugi began to dream.

Silver mist swirled around him. The air was cold, and tingled on his skin.

_Pharaoh_, called a voice. _Pharaoh…_

_Who's there?_

The fog parted to make way for a shaggy silver wolf loping toward him. It regarded him with grey eyes chillier than a glacier. _Greetings, Pharaoh. It has been a while._

How was that voice so familiar? He knew, he was sure, that he had heard it somewhere before. Long ago…

It was frustrating him, how he could not remember. It was as if there was a dam in his mind, holding back all the memories… they would not come…

_I know you… but I… can't recall where…_

_From forever, my Pharaoh. From forever._

_Are you a god?_

_I am Diamondfang, Queen of Ice. I am Ramla Abdalziz, servant of the powerful. I am here to guide you in these dire times. What happened once shall be again, history shall repeat itself. And you must come to the world's aid. We cannot let the Dark One triumph, for the world teeters on the edge of shadow. Without you, it shall fall._

_What must I do? _

_We are journeying to Egypt, the desert of kings. We must find the Gate of Worlds and enter the Time-Cleft. Then we will be transported back to the Egypt of old, to defeat the Dark One before he can cross over to the present. _

_So you are saying… this Dark One is in the past?_

_Correct. He plagued earth 5,000 years ago, but you stopped him. The Gate of Worlds was sealed, and he was trapped in the past. But now he has gathered enough shadow to travel to our world. We must correct our mistake that was made 5,000 years ago. We must face him again and win, so we may vanquish him forever._

_The gods smile down upon you, Pharaoh. We have come to guide you. The High One is tracking our progress, and shall come to our aid. Aside from my sister and me, there is a third who serves the High One in the Next World. He shall join us in the fight._

_Can this third one transform as well?_

_Yes. He shall take the form of a lion, and you will call him Asim. He is my dear brother who we shall meet in Luxor. That is where Marik's airship flies. _

_I see. I will do my best to defeat this Dark One._

_Good. I shall meet you when you awake._

The dream faded… Yugi slowly opened his eyes. He was in a spacious room, with fingers of sunlight reaching through the window, painting stripes on his floor. There was a dresser, a lamp, and three doors. One led to the outside, another to the bathroom, and the last, a closet.

Groggily he sat up, rubbing his eyes. With a jolt he realized he was not alone. A silver wolf sat curled up in the afternoon sun, looking at him with half-closed eyes. "Feeling any better?" she asked.

It was weird, talking to a wolf. "Yeah, a little," Yugi said. "What time is it?"

"Nearly supper," replied the wolf, getting to her feet and stretching. She yawned, revealing gleaming white teeth like daggers. "The others are on this airship as well. Their rooms are all down this hall. Now mind you, don't go walking around here alone, especially at night. Marik will tell you why later."

Yugi rose and walked to the window. The deep cerulean sea filled his vision, extended in all directions. It pitched and rolled in a light breeze, and whitecaps adorned the crests of the waves. "Why can't we go around at night?" he asked.

"I don't know," said the wolf. "That's why you should freshen up and come with me to the meeting. It's in ten minutes."

"Right." Yugi hurried to the bathroom, where he washed his face and brushed his teeth. He looked at himself in the mirror and thought of his grandpa. Was he all right? A painful worry gnawed in Yugi's heart when he thought of his grandpa. So much had happened in the past four hours, but he himself hadn't changed a bit. He just felt very, very confused.

_Do you think there's some kind of enemy here? Is that why we can't walk the halls alone?_

_Maybe. I don't know why Marik would have a dangerous environment for his airship, though._

_I feel… lost. Like I just drifted into a different dimension. I have no idea what to do._

_Well, if we go to the meeting, maybe we shall learn. If you would, may I take it from here?_

_Okay._

The wolf trotted alongside Yugi down the corridor. Even if he felt disoriented, at least he was safe. The wolf would make a formidable opponent.

"So, your name is Ramla?"

"Correct. And you are Pharaoh Atem, known as Atemu to your father, your childhood friends and me. The rest call you Yugi or Yami. And your host is Yugi Motou, a very intelligent boy."

A door slid open, and Téa stepped out. "Hey Yugi! Is your head okay?" Yugi nodded. He turned to Ramla. "This is Téa, one of my very close friends. Téa, this is Ramla."

In a shower of silver sparks, a form spiraled upward, and a human solidified where the wolf had been. She bowed slightly. "Pleased to meet you."

They shook hands. Ramla's face was guarded, revealing nothing of her true feelings as she regarded Téa. In this girl's eyes there was a calculating, almost suspicious expression…

Ramla turned abruptly and said, "We have to hurry if we want to get to the meeting on time. Follow me."

They were soon joined by Tristan, Joey and Serenity. Down the hall and up a set of stairs was an open door. Inside was a round oaken table, at which several people already sat. The opposite wall was pure glass and provided a panoramic view of the ocean.

"Good, you're here," said Marik, settling into his chair. He waved at five vacant seats, which the arrivals took. Also present were Kaiba, Samira, Meryl and four others that were unfamiliar. "Now, we're here to discuss… why we're here. And why we are here is because of an ancient Egyptian legend. It tells of the dark magic accumulated by dueling, so much shadow that there was a tear in time: the Time-Cleft. The Dark One was almost successful in extending his reach to conquer the world, if it weren't for a certain Pharaoh." Marik nodded at Yugi. "The legend states that there will come another day when history is to repeat itself, and there will be a new Time-Cleft. The Dark One will attempt once more to engulf the earth in darkness. And the Pharaoh is needed again to curb this shadow as soon as possible." Marik punched some numbers into a keyboard in front of him, and the glass wall became a computer screen. "The Seven Priests of the Millennium Items will be reunited. This is crucial to the defeat of the Dark One. Their identities are displayed here."

Atem Sayidh

Millennium Puzzle

Seto Sayidh

Millennium Rod

Shadii Ankmenin

Millennium Key

Akilah Wanir

Millennium Scales

Ranya Wanir

Millennium Eye

Isis Ishtaari

Millennium Necklace

Baqir Akatar

Millennium Key

Kaiba stood up angrily at the sight of his name, his eyes blazing. "Is this some kind of joke?" he snarled at Marik, who raised his eyebrows calmly.

"It's not very funny, is it?" he said quietly. "Ponder this, Mr. President. If you decide we all belong in the nuthouse-"

"Don't worry, I think I've already come to that conclusion," said Kaiba nastily.

"Then you are not only turning your back on us, you're writing a death sentence for yourself and all mankind," Marik continued, his voice softly venomous.

Their eyes locked. The tension in the room was almost suffocating. "For once, sir, put aside your selfishness and think about others!" Marik said. "Or is your greedy mind incapable-"

"I am perfectly capable of anything I set my mind to, you blithering fool," Kaiba hissed, his eyes narrow. _Why was Marik suddenly attacking him?_

Yugi was highly confused. Why the abrupt enmity between the two? He glanced at Ramla to see what she made of this. To his surprise, she rolled her eyes at him and shrugged. Was he missing something?

Now Marik was on his feet, seething with rage. "Don't you call me a fool, you miserly, stingy old-"

"Marik! Stop at once!" The voice was Samira's.

Kaiba was so shocked he sat down. He stared at her, not knowing she was capable of such fury. Her golden eyes were almost sparking, her hands in shaking fists. "I know what this is about. I think we need to have a little chat. Ramla, I think you can _maturely_ take over this meeting. Thank you." She stormed out of the room, a meek Marik tiptoeing behind her.

"Marik! What in hell got into you back there?"

Marik hung his head. "I… I'm sorry… don't know what… came over me…" he dithered pathetically trailing off underneath Samira's death stare.

"Old rivalries should not drive you to act so… immature!"

"But my lady… he was-"

"Don't start with that "My lady" garbage. That's for servants. And anyhow, he did nothing. You're just jumping at the chance to pick a fight with him now that all three of us are here."

"But, I didn't on the fighter plane!"

"Oh, a grand effort! Just leave him alone, won't you! For your information, he doesn't even touch me. He's scared of females!"

Marik sneered. "That's a change."

Samira glared at him. "Listen, you. Just because we're getting a second go at this Time-Cleft doesn't mean all of the… participants are the same! They're different! Seto's had a terrible childhood, he doesn't need to be antagonized any more!"

Marik gave her a contemptful look. "And your precious Seto is all you care about, huh? You're just bent on changing him, aren't you?"

Samira looked as if someone had slapped her.

He sighed and looked at his shoes. "I… don't want you getting hurt again."

Her looked softened. "Thanks, Marik. I can always count on you."

Marik gave her a warm smile that made her stomach do a somersault.

Suddenly a phone clipped to his belt rang. He answered it. "Pedro, I'm sort of busy… oh, really? Ok… I'll be right there." He switched it off and looked at Samira apologetically. "I'm sorry… something urgent has come up; I have to investigate." He hurried off down the hall.

Leaning against the wall, Samira sighed and looked at the floor, realizing how much she had missed Marik. He had been one of her closest friends in the Old World. Meeting him again… her heart was filled with joy. But there was a dark cloud on the horizon: this kind of screwed her plans for the near future. Marik romancing her would mess up a lot of things. She liked him, but not in the mad, passionate, head-over-heels way.

Well, there was really no point in going to the meeting, since all of which was being explained Samira already knew.

She trotted off to her rooms to inspect her supplies. There were clothes just her size in the dressers. Capes, tunics, leggings, sashes, boots. She predicted that the other passengers were provided with these also, since none had time to pack. Additionally, substantial garments were needed for the rough terrain of Egypt's desert; any old clothes would not do.

She sat down on the bed and tuned her oud, and began to play.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"What do you think that was all about, eh?" Joey asked Yugi on their way back to the rooms.

Yugi shook his head. "No idea. It seems to me that a lot of people must be… reincarnations of past selves in ancient Egypt. The seven priests were certainly in ancient Egypt-"

"You're sayin' Kaiba's from ancient Egypt?" Joey said incredulously.

"How else would he be able to control a God Card, Joey?" Yugi pointed out.

"Oh. Yeah. But I was thinking, we're going to have a heck of a time convincing him…"

"Well, maybe that's what Samira is for. Perhaps she can make him believe."

"I was wonderin', Yug, where did these girls come from? They just appear out of the sky one day or what?"

"You're probably right."

"No kidding. So they really are gods or something?"

"That's what I think. They apparently were our advisors in ancient Egypt."

"So Kaiba has a girl advisor, huh? Man, do I feel sorry for her."

"You know, Joey, I can't help but agree."

Joey stopped in front of his door. "I just want you to know, I'm always behind you, Yug. I'll help you as much as I can."

Yugi smiled at his friend. "I'm glad to hear that, Joey. And I'm very lucky to have a friend like you."

"Same to you." Joey let out a huge yawn. "Well, it's been a long day. I'd better catch some shuteye. G'night, Yug."

"Night."

Yugi got into his pajamas and brushed his teeth. The humming of the engines far below soon lulled him into a deep sleep.

Mist swirled, dancing about him in an unearthly way, painting designs on the air that faded as soon as they began. Mist begot mist, shadow begot shadow, and wherever he looked there was darkness and obscurity.

_Good evening, Pharaoh. I trust you have settled into your quarters comfortably?_

The mist parted like a crowd for a queen, as the stormy-eyed wolf loped through. Very surprising was the man who was with her.

_Shadi! What brings you here?_

Shadi bowed deeply._ Greetings, my Pharaoh. Your fate brings me here tonight. The wheels and cogs of destiny have finally been set into motion. As you know, I am the keeper of the Items. It is my task to distribute them to the 7 priests, so they will be well equipped for the trial ahead._

_You posses the Ring, Necklace and Rod. I have ensured that the Scales and Eye have been given to their priests. So it is up to you to make sure that your Items find their rightful owners as well._

_Of course, Shadi. Tell me what I must do._

_You shall give the Millennium Rod. The Ring shall be received by Bakura-_

_Are you sure that is a good idea?_

_My pharaoh, I am aware of Bakura's previous exploits with the Ring, but this time I can assure you that he shall do no lasting harm. The destructive spirit inside the Ring and I have had a little chat, and he agrees to behave. He will not hurt anyone or steal any Items._

_That's good to hear._

_Indeed. And you shall give the Necklace to Ishizu._

_But I thought it no longer shows her the future!_

_The necklace was wrong because Ishizu turned against her High Priest. She wagered against the Fate-Changer and was defeated._

_Fate-Changer? Is it… Kaiba you speak of?_

_Affirmative. Do you recall when he dueled Ishizu, she predicted her victory, but he changed his own fate. This is an uncanny power of his that comes and goes… anyhow, it is crucial that you give him the Rod. He will not survive long without it. For he was your High Priest in ancient Egypt, and he shall fight by your side against the Dark One when the time comes._

_But Shadi, how can I find Ishizu and Bakura?_

_Do not fret, Pharaoh. You will meet them soon. They are waiting in Egypt for you. _

_Good._

_Well, I must go. I will see you later, Pharaoh. Farewell. _

The mists closed around Shadi, encasing him, and then his outline slowly faded away.

_Ah, Shadi. Tall, dark and handsome. So mysterious._

_Do you like him, Ramla?_

The wolf looked at him with laughter in her silver eyes. _You amuse me, Atemu. Oh, it's been awhile. No, I go more for the… er… I believe in your world they are called "hunks."_

Yugi stared at her for a moment, then burst out laughing. The wolf wagged her tail happily and trotted over to him. He bent down and stroked her soft fur. For a dream, it felt surprisingly real. _It's good to be back, Pharaoh. It's good to be back._

Suddenly she stiffened as a low, sinister hissing filled the air. Without warning, she turned and sped off into the fog. _I must go, Pharaoh. Good night. _

Wondering what the noise could be, Yugi slowly let the thought go as he sank deeper into the fog and back into a dreamless sleep.

**Chapter Six**

Ishizu Ishtar seethed with rage as she terminated the communication link between her brother and herself. Marik was currently flying across Mongolia with the passengers. Kaiba was on the plane, she knew. And he still had Obelisk the Tormentor in his deck!

She wanted that card back. She had asked several times. It was clear that Kaiba would never willingly comply with her requests. So she would have to take it by force.

But how? Ishizu had no soldiers at her command and no powers to wield. She was helpless. She would have to get someone else's assistance.

Ishizu got up from the communications room and trotted down the stone hall to the chapel. The floor was marble with a handmade rug, and a small table on which candles and incense were placed. Above the table hung a stone tablet; a copy of the original carving that was kept by the Scorpion tribe many miles away.

She lit a single match and used it to light the incense. The sickly sweet odor filled the dark room. Kneeling on the rug, Ishizu pressed her forehead to the cold stone. It sent chills through her that went right to her heart, but she steeled herself and continued.

"_Hai'nebet shalanemin u fareb'n nitakari, shi'hi'im ghet zaqqari menubenshin!" Great beings of darkness and shadow, hear my cry and answer!_

"_Menibheb shilhal, Ishizu. Akenal'un gahem?" I hear your cries, Ishizu. Why do you seek me?_

"_Eil-Rebhet igek na'materi hegen. Hem negeri tahal tubehek. She'raigem un'kamalek." The Priest has a card of mine. He does not return it. I need your help._

"_Jehem heget uka'nahem?" Which card do you speak of?_

"_Shalaim eil-keruhet."_

"_Shi'naek. Un'ragir eig-namari u shagan im Eil-Rebhet. Heg um kesh hegen urim." I see. Take this magic and use it on the Priest. Then you can take your card back. _

"_Jerum'ahai, umi'Drehek." Thank you, my lord._

"_Im kei shulek. Webek um'keshet eig-namari im Eil-Rebhet, um'hara yenem il-Osira. Jumesh?" On one condition. After you use the magic on the Priest, you must weaken the falcon._

"_Kere, umi'Drehek." Yes, my lord. _

A small stone sphere with a dark substance stirring inside it sat on the table where no sphere had been before.

Ishizu smiled slowly and picked up the sphere. It rested comfortably in the palm of her hand. The sphere sent a cold tingling sensation up her arm, and slowly it permeated all through her body.

And then cold needles of ice were stabbing every inch of her… she twisted in agony, trying to free herself of the pain. She could not let go of the sphere. The tingling became jolts of raw power, consuming her. Ishizu convulsed, her mouth open in a silent scream.

_No! Lord Vaneth! You cannot do this… no!_

Harsh, grating laughter filled the room. _Foolish girl. You were unwise to try and wager with the vulture. You are my prey now._

Overcome, she slumped to the cold stone floor, limp, the sphere still clutched tightly in her hand.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

_He sat sullenly behind an alabaster column, ignoring the joyous festivities happening around him. Hugging his knees, Seto hunched over to make himself as inconspicuous as possible as a small parade of courtiers wandered by, talking and laughing loudly_. All drunk_, he thought disgustedly. The new pharaoh apparently didn't have very good control over his wine stores._

_The vicinity quieted once again, although snatches of laughter and music could be heard from the courtyard beyond. A cool breeze caressed his face. He sniffed it, mystified. It smelled of salt and the ocean. They were nowhere near a sea. _

_Wondering what the source of the sea breeze could be, he stood up, clutching the Millennium Rod in one hand. He had gone through the initiation ceremony that morning, with three other priests and Pharaoh Atem. The next three priests were still being brought to the palace. So far there was Shaadi Ankmenin, a temple guard from El Gîza, and Akilya and Rania Khefrek, twin daughters of a fabric merchant in El Minya. None seemed the party type; they were probably off somewhere brooding just as he was. _

_He followed the scent into the shadows, skirting the outer wall of the palace. Behind led to the courtyard; to his right led to the greater foyer, and before him was the path that snaked its way around more pillars and statues, all the way down to the temple complex by the river Nile. _

_And then in front of him came a flash, a twinkling so brief he had to wonder if it were real. And then a laugh, seeming to come from far away, yet right next to his ear, a laugh that floated and sparkled upward like a bubble, lighter than air. _

_He jerked backward, swatting out with his hands to grab any intruders. There were none. _

_Seto stepped back, startled. A girl stood ahead of him on the path, regarding him with a slight smile, her head tilting to the side. She said nothing, but stared with golden eyes like twin suns. _

_As abruptly as she had come, she turned and trotted off down the path, around a pillar and out of sight. _

_He stood there, dumbfounded for a moment, and then regaining his senses, dashed off down the path. _

_Atem got an unnerving surprise when he entered his bedchambers that evening. Sitting on his reclining couch was a shaggy silver wolf, regarding him regally. "Good evening, Pharaoh," it said, speaking in an elegant tone. "I am Ramla. I have come to advise you, to be at your right hand and carry out your orders, to help and to guide you, for troubled times are ahead."_

_Realizing this must be a messenger from the gods, Atem fell to his knees and bowed, his heart beating fast. He was in a room with a god!_

"_Get up." A rustle, then a soft pattering of paws as the wolf left the couch. She nuzzled him gently with her wet nose. "Do not be afraid." _

_Tentatively, he rose, and reached out with a shaking hand to place it on the wolf's furry head. She blinked contentedly—and licked his face. Atemu laughed and threw his arms around his new friend._

"_Let's go down to the temples," he told Ramla. "I know a balcony over looking the Nile that nobody else does."_

_But he was wrong._

_The young High Priest sped down the path, entering the temple complex. The path meandered through alleys, between buildings, and out towards a cliff. There was a jagged set of steps that allowed Seto to descend down the cliff. The steps veered sharply to the right, underneath the shoulder of the cliff. There was a small ridge, sheltered by the overhang, where he could sit comfortably._

_He plopped down with a small sigh, noticing how beautiful it was. The sun painted crimson and magenta stripes on the Nile as it sank below the rim of the sky-cup. Stars were beginning to show their faces, and the moon brightened with each passing minute. _

"_Hello," said a quiet voice down and to his left. He jumped and looked. A small silver bird sat comfortably on the ridge beside him, wings folded at its sides and eyes half-closed in satisfaction. "Quite pretty, isn't it? So did you just discover this little balcony tonight?"_

_Seto noticed that the bird had luminous golden eyes. And then it clicked into place… the girl on the path…_

"_You led me here," he accused it._

" _Even in the presence of a god, you are still prickly," the falcon pointed out. _

"_Humph. Would you mind letting me in on your grand design, or are you going to leave me in the dark?"_

_The bird almost looked as if it were smiling sweetly. "Worry not, dear Seto. I shall tell you all. Basically, I'm here to be your advisor. By the way, I'm Samira."_

_He looked sidelong at the little creature. "You're not from around here, are you?" _

"_Was that a wild guess?"_

_He couldn't help snorting, but quickly resumed his glaring demeanor. "Who wants to know?"_

_The bird shook its head. "Can't you take a joke?"_

"_Stop talking in questions," ordered Seto imperiously. "If you're going to be my advisor, you have to do what I say, don't you?"_

"_Sorry, it doesn't work like that. I'm here to help you, not to serve you. If you use me for your ends, I think you shall find you will meet your end."_

"_Nice speech. Now, I really need to get back to the-"_

_He stopped, listening intently. Voices were conversing, coming closer and closer to their hiding spot. To his surprise, it was the pharaoh Atem and a silver-eyed wolf._

_Atem stared back at his cousin with equal shock. "Wh… how did you know about this place?"_

"_Ask that thing," he replied sullenly, jerking his thumb at the falcon._

"_My name is Samira. I led him here, to talk," explained the bird. "I am to be his advisor."_

_Atem nodded. "And so it shall be."_

_They sat silently, watching the boundless seas slowly swallow the orange orb of the sun. _

_As the darkness folded around them, a voice whispered in the back of Seto's mind…_

Kill him. Kill the Pharaoh now and take the crown for yourself.

_His grip on the Millennium Rod tightened as he pondered this notion. _

Kill him now! This is your chance. You are older, you have suffered. You deserve Egypt more than that runt.

_A rushing impulse like a flash flood rose in his brain, drowning all common sense. He raised the Millennium Rod, his mind reaching out toward its fist of power, flicking the magic like a whip, lashing out towards his cousin…_

_And then a sharp pain penetrated, drilling a hole through the hazy mist that clouded his mind. His vision suddenly seemed to clear; he jerked his arm to free it of the intense pain that was being inflicted upon it._

_The falcon, its beak embedded in his hand, hung off of his arm. He dropped the Rod like it was a hot coal. It landed on the face of the stone with a clatter and began to slide. It would have fallen off of t he ridge if it weren't for the falcon, who dived forward and grasped it in her talons. _

_Seto clenched his bleeding hand to his side, muttering something about having bad hands, and scrambled out of the rock shelter and off down the path as fast as he could go. The bird haphazardly flung herself off the cliff and caught a rising air pocket, soaring into the sky. The Millennium Rod was still carried in her claws. She flew after Seto and out of sight._

"_Er… what was that about?" Atem asked nervously, looking apprehensively after his cousin. _

_The wolf shrugged, quite a feat for a canine. "Some people you just can't figure out."_

"_Seto certainly is one of them," Atem agreed. He sighed. "He seems… so troubled. I wish I could help him. But he's so cold… I don't know how."_

"_Shutting people out is his way of defending himself," she explained. "So he seems cold… cold as ice." _

"_Cold as ice," Atem muttered, looking off into the indigo waves. "Cold as ice."_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

He stared warily at it, sitting on his bed still in his clothes. The clock had struck midnight hours ago, and Seto was still up. The Millennium Rod sat on the dresser across the room. Its golden sheen gleamed in the moonlight filtering in through the window. It looked so innocent, the Eye of Horus appliquéd onto it winking in the reflections of the stars. But he had seen what it could do. He had witnessed its limitless evil. He did not want something like this in his hands.

The door opened silently. His muscled tensed, preparing him to flee.

Samira's head poked around the door. "You should be asleep," she admonished, closing the door behind her.

Seto looked at her suspiciously, eyes narrowed. "How did you get in? I thought I locked the door."

She shrugged. "A lock was never a barrier to me."

He sighed exasperatedly. This girl just would not go away. "Look, I don't mean to be blunt- wait, actually, I do. Get out of my room," he spat.

Ignoring him, Samira sat calmly, cross-legged on the floor. She leaned back against the door. "You're afraid of it, aren't you?"

"Afraid of what?" he said brusquely, though he knew what she was talking about.

"The Millennium Items were not made for evil purposes," she said. "The Rod is evil only in the hands of evil. And I don't think you apply to that category."

"You don't?"

Samira looked genuinely dumbfounded. "What? You thought I did?"

"No, it's just that… well, other people…" he trailed off into silence, deep in thought.

Samira let him recount the past for a moment before she went on. "To control the Rod- well, there's a verse from the Book of Ages- wait, I haven't told you what that is yet."

"Oh, please, I'm just dying of suspense."

She glared at him before going on. "There are three books that house the laws, the beliefs and the guidelines of the ancient Egyptians. Your people have only discovered one of them. The Book of the Gods tells of the ancients' mythology, their creation story, you know. It's like their bible. The Book of the Dead, which has been unearthed in your world, is a guide to life and afterlife. The Book of Ages contains poems and prophecies of the future. There's a chapter in there that talks about the Millennium Items—

_Puzzle, scepter, key and ring,_

_Darkness doth their praises sing,_

_Many souls are doomed to die_

_By the necklace, scales and eye._

_In their sevenfold they triumphed_

_But divided now they fall_

_Turned from light unto the darkness_

_And they answer Falragh's call._

_Foremost is the piece of kings,_

_Two great rulers its fate brings,_

_Only one shall live again,_

_And the other shall be slain._

"Who's going to be slain?"

"That verse related to the Puzzle. The 'piece of kings.' It is prophesized to be worn by two great rulers, and it was. First the pharaoh Akunamon, and then his son, the great Pharaoh Atem. Akunamon was slain by the powers of darkness. And Atem is alive again, in Yugi. See?"

He nodded, knowing what was coming next.

_At His right hand is the Priest_

_Guarding throne and slaying beast_

_Once depraved of rightful place_

_With his scepter restored grace_

"That's me, huh?"

"Yes. And that's why you must use the Millennium Rod. You will die without it."

He looked at it warily. "Are you sure it won't… turn me evil, or anything?"

She gave him a warm, reassuring smile. "Positive."

He crossed the room and slowly lifted it, holding it in front of him, getting used to its weight.

"At its core, there is a sphere of power, concentrated," she explained. "Reach out with your mind. Can you feel it?"

'Reach out with your mind?' What did that mean?

Tentatively, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the Millennium Rod. He cast his consciousness out toward it, and drew back in shock as he came into mental contact with a small, whirling mass, like a ball of fire.

Carefully, he tried again, and cautiously poked it. The mass stirred like some small animal waking from its slumber.

From somewhere far away he could hear Samira saying, "Now grasp it and flick it like a whip! Take control!"

Almost as if out of habit, he let his mind flood around it, holding it, and with a flicking motion, a cord of power lashed outward, visible in his mind as a shimmering purple coil unfurling and striking away from him.

It sped unbridled toward a new presence in his mind, a shining blue shape, resembling a bird. It was almost blinding how brightly the being shone as it darted in and snatched the coil between its talons and pulled.

He was tugged back to reality by a jerking motion. The Millennium Rod was being pulled away from him. Samira stood by the door, blue fire glimmering between her hands. She grinned devilishly and released.

Seto was thrown backwards, barely managing to keep his balance as the pull relinquished. Panting, he regained his footing and glared at Samira. "What was that for?"

"It was good, for a first try. You'll have to be quicker than that to get me, though." She let a spark of blue light crackle between her fingertips, daring him to "be quicker."

_What? To 'get' her? What the hell-_

With a small sinking feeling, he realized that he had been aiming the whip at Samira.

"I… um… sorry…" he trailed off lamely, not really used to saying the word. She was regarding him with a strange look on her face that made him feel really stupid.

"Seto," she said gently. "I know you didn't mean to. It's really all right, I mean it."

He nodded gruffly, embarrassed.

Samira put her hand on the doorknob and yawned. "It's really late," she remarked unnecessarily. "You should be getting some sleep. Good night." She gave him a little nod, a small smile, and was gone.

Boy, he felt like such an idiot. Why did he aim the Rod's power toward Samira? He had just done it, _as he had so many times before…_

Wait. He had never held the Millennium Rod before in his life.

Or had he?

His head suddenly spinning, Seto sat down on the bed, propping his chin on his hands. This was all too much. It was like déjà vu… he had done it before, yet never done it before… did that make sense?

_No,_ he told himself. _This is all complete nonsense. Why did I even get on this stupid ship of lunatics anyway?_

_Because of Mokuba. Mokuba is hurt, and now he is being healed by the people you call lunatics. _

_Shut up._

_No. The old Seto is back. You can't get rid of me now. You are warped by Gozaburo and bitter from the hard years you have faced. Leave, now, and don't return._

_Never!_

_Leave. I banish you! Leave, imposter! I know you not!_

_Nooo…_

The Millennium Rod sparked to life next to him, giving off a blinding flash. He shielded his eyes, but could not stop the sudden flow of memories, the flood of images flashing past his vision…

_A sapphire-blue river, sparkling in the setting sun… a gleaming white palace, flags snapping in the breeze… a sword… broken shackles… a bird, soaring far above the clouds… the harsh yet melodic cry of a falcon, echoing in his mind… _

He could not stop the pictures… it was too much… it was like a heavy hammer suddenly being brought down full force on his head…

Spent, Seto collapsed on the bed, falling into the black oblivion of unconsciousness.

Somewhere far away from earth, an owl smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Samira trotted down the dimly lit hall on her way to her room, humming something to herself.

And then there was sudden movement in the corridor to her right…

With no warning, the shape lunged at her; she was thrown against the wall…

A stabbing pain blazed like a fire in her skull… it hurt so badly…

The dark shape was coming toward her… reaching out for her… stars exploded in front of her eyes… she was going to pass out…

And then, out of nowhere came a snarl and a silver flash, and her attacker was slammed to the ground with a grunt. The wolf –now Ramla- unsheathed a deadly sword and thrust it downward. Samira winced as the man let out a last sigh before expiring.

The wolf stepped down from the bloody kill and looked at her sister disapprovingly. "You know you're not supposed to wander the halls at night. You're very lucky I was here." She let the unspoken realization of what could have happened hang forebodingly in the air for a moment before continuing. "I will escort you to your rooms… but what exactly were you doing out here? It must be past midnight!"

Samira looked at the floor and did not answer.

The wolf harrumphed disdainfully. "I don't think I even want to know anyhow. Come on, let's go." She started off down the hall.

She continued to lecture Samira as they journeyed to her rooms. "Marik had to hire some pretty iffy characters since he had to come here on such short notice. Samira, that was some of the worst judgment I've ever seen from you…"

"Well, sorry," Samira snapped. "But I'm my own person, Ramla. I can do what I want; you don't have to be running around scolding me all the time-"

"If I weren't always 'running around scolding you all the time,' you'd be dead, or worse."

Samira snorted. "And what's worse than death, may I ask?"

Ramla gave her a cold look. "Maybe one day you'll find out if I'm not around, little sister." She turned and with a flick of her silver tail, disappeared into the blackness.

Sighing, Samira put her hand on the doorknob. Ramla was right… Ramla had saved Samira's skin countless times…

But what she would give to not be weak, to not have to depend on others…

It sure was hard, being a falcon.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fourteen**

Samira trotted down the dimly lit hall on her way to her room, humming something to herself.

And then there was sudden movement in the corridor to her right…

With no warning, the shape lunged at her; she was thrown against the wall…

A stabbing pain blazed like a fire in her skull… it hurt so badly…

The dark shape was coming toward her… reaching out for her… stars exploded in front of her eyes… she was going to pass out…

And then, out of nowhere came a snarl and a silver flash, and her attacker was slammed to the ground with a grunt. The wolf –now Ramla- unsheathed a deadly sword and thrust it downward. Samira winced as the man let out a last sigh before expiring.

The wolf stepped down from the bloody kill and looked at her sister disapprovingly. "You know you're not supposed to wander the halls at night. You're very lucky I was here." She let the unspoken realization of what could have happened hang forebodingly in the air for a moment before continuing. "I will escort you to your rooms… but what exactly were you doing out here? It must be past midnight!"

Samira looked at the floor and did not answer.

The wolf harrumphed disdainfully. "I don't think I even want to know anyhow. Come on, let's go." She started off down the hall.

She continued to lecture Samira as they journeyed to her rooms. "Marik had to hire some pretty iffy characters since he had to come here on such short notice. Samira, that was some of the worst judgment I've ever seen from you…"

"Well, sorry," Samira snapped. "But I'm my own person, Ramla. I can do what I want; you don't have to be running around scolding me all the time-"

"If I weren't always 'running around scolding you all the time,' you'd be dead, or worse."

Samira snorted. "And what's worse than death, may I ask?"

Ramla gave her a cold look. "Maybe one day you'll find out if I'm not around, little sister." She turned and with a flick of her silver tail, disappeared into the blackness.

Sighing, Samira put her hand on the doorknob. Ramla was right… Ramla had saved Samira's skin countless times…

But what she would give to not be weak, to not have to depend on others…

It sure was hard, being a falcon.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Marik grabbed her and pulled her into him, hugging her tightly, like he was afraid that if he let her go she would just fade away. "Gods, are you all right?" he breathed into her ear.

"Marik, you're suffocating me."

"Sorry." He loosened his hold, but still gripped her firmly by the shoulders as he looked at her solemnly. "But are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She felt a little dizzy. "Why wouldn't I be fine?"

He pulled her back up against him, lowering his voice. "I'm worried, Samira. I… I'm afraid…" he sighed. "I'm afraid Kaiba might hurt you. He's even worse this time around-"

"No, he isn't," she snapped indignantly, as if he'd just insulted her. "You've got nothing to worry about. I'm perfectly fine." She tried to back away without much success.

Marik gently stroked the side of her face with two fingers, his other hand wrapped around her waist. "If you are hurt, I am here," he whispered. "I will let no harm come to you, my love."

_Oh, dear_, she thought detachedly as Marik cuddled her against his chest. She felt gratitude toward him for caring about her, but she really didn't love him. Like him as a friend, but not love him.

In the time before, it had been different…

In the time before, she had cared for him, but now… after so many years… why did she feel different?

And then she thought of what Ramla would say. Something about judgment, probably. About how Samira would snuggle up to any man without thinking twice. Ugh. The thought made her shiver, and anger rise in her blood. She pulled away from Marik, catching him off guard. "Samira, what-"

She backed away and found the wall. Cornered. "Marik," she began, sighing, "I think you should know that I-"

"Shhh," he said, pulling her toward him. Too close. _Oh, no, he's going to kiss me!_

"Marik, stop," said a new voice.

The wolf looked at them disdainfully. "You should be doing this in a somewhat more secluded area, not a public hallway, if at all. And I don't quite know why you are doing it anyhow, since she doesn't even love you."

Marik looked stricken. Samira sank to the floor, her legs suddenly not strong enough to support her.

"Marik… I'm so sorry…" she choked out, a sob threatening to strangle her voice. "I just don't… feel the way about you… that I used to…"

The mixture of pain and anger on Marik's face settled into an expression of complete shock.

Nobody said anything for a moment.

The wolf cleared her throat. "Having delivered this pleasant news, I think I shall depart," she said pointedly. And departed.

Samira suddenly found her intertwined fingers very interesting. Marik stuck his hands in his pockets and walked over to the window, staring off into the blue sky. They were in a room like the meeting hall, with the outside wall entirely transparent.

"So you really… feel that way, huh?" he said quietly.

"Yes." She wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I should have known… I mean, it's been what, a couple thousand years?" He turned to look at her, and his grin faded quickly. "Samira, please don't cry." He came toward her, knelt in front of her, and brushed her tears away with one finger. "Hush now. Nobody wants to see you like this." He put an arm around her, tenderly this time. "It's going to be okay. I still like you, and we can be friends, right?"

Samira nodded, smiling a little.

"Ramla sure is a right little ray of sunshine, isn't she?" Marik said, shaking his head.

Samira shrugged. "I don't know why she's so blunt… She's not really a people person…"

"Maybe it's because she knows you're way hotter than she is," suggested Marik with a grin. Samira blushed but couldn't help smiling. "No really," he persisted. "About five or six of my pilots have asked me who the cute girl with golden eyes is."

"Really?" she asked in disbelief. "…Because right now I feel so… rotten…" Her face clouded again.

"Oh hush," Marik said, brushing the comment away. "You're too sweet to be mad at for more than a couple seconds anyway." He leaned forward before she could react, and lightly kissed her on the cheek.

Samira's face broke into a smile, like the sun breaking through a cloud. She hugged Marik, saying, "You're pretty sweet too, you know."

He gently lifted her to her feet. "Come with me to the control room," he urged. "We're due to land in an hour. You can catch the first glimpse of Egypt."

She nodded, brightening even more at the mention of Egypt. "Oh! I can't wait!" And took off down the hall.

"Samira! Wait up!" he called, laughing and running after her.

Her heart beat faster at the thought of seeing Egypt again. Egypt! Her beloved country, with the sparkling white sands, graceful palm trees and the shimmering blue ribbon of the Nile River that she missed so much.

She waited impatiently for Marik to catch up, then took his hand and dragged him down the corridor. "I've got to tell Seto!"

Marik's face darkened, but he said nothing and let Samira lead him to Kaiba's room.

"Seto! Hurry up! We're landing soon!"

The door opened. His mouth was open, ready to speak, but when he saw Marik, who was leaning against the doorframe, he quickly shut it again. His gaze shifted back to Samira. "Could you come inside a moment?"

Samira glanced at Marik, who shrugged grudgingly. She nodded and stepped into the room.

Seto wasted no time in shutting the door. "Why is Marik giving me all these dirty looks?" he demanded.

"Is that the only reason you wanted to talk to me?" she snapped back, equally hostile.

He sighed and glanced at the ceiling as if Samira were a hopeless case. "No, but him always ragging on me is really starting to get on my nerves."

To his surprise, Samira turned pink and looked at the floor.

"What?"

She shrugged and traced an invisible pattern with one foot, not meeting his gaze.

He tried his more assertive voice. "Samira, tell me right now. It shouldn't be that hard."

She mumbled something. Seto raised an eyebrow.

Samira looked up at him and said tearfully, "He- he thinks you're… hitting on me."

Seto's mouth dropped open. "He _what?_" Not waiting for an answer, he turned abruptly, muttering something angrily under his breath, and began to shove clothes into a knapsack. He was wearing the sturdier Egyptian desert clothes, the Millennium Rod tucked in his belt.

She perched on the bed, eyes cast downward. "I know you would never do that, Seto."

"The hell I wouldn't," he spat.

She let him stew for a moment and then said, "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

He straightened up and spun around, and there was real worry in his eyes. "Samira, I haven't been able to see Mokuba this whole trip. The doctors-" His voice broke, and he had to take a deep breath to keep going. "The doctors… wouldn't even let me in to see him! I don't even know if he's alive!"

"Oh, Seto…" said Samira sadly, her voice full of empathy, not pity. "Mokuba… was in a coma, because he lost too much blood-"

Seto swore vehemently and went for the door.

Samira dived in and blocked his path. There wasn't pain on Seto's face as much as there was seething, boiling anger. Anger at being denied the truth…

"Seto, listen to me," Samira said. "Mokuba is fine. He needs a few more days to recover, so he won't be coming with us on the journey, but he is in good hands in the ship's hospital. When we return, he will be fully healed."

"But why did no one tell me this before?" Seto snarled.

Samira regarded him calmly. "If you knew, you would have abandoned us."

He fell silent, knowing this was painfully true.

She moved forward a couple inches, and Seto jumped back like she was some kind of germ that he didn't want to catch.

Samira smiled wryly and turned to go. "You know Seto, if hugs killed people, you would die… really fast." And she left.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Mendu's inn was more like a nightclub with hotel rooms. From the outside it looked rather shabby, paint peeling from the sign that read in Arabic and English, "Luxor Inn."

When you first walked inside, you were almost blinded by the flashing of disco balls and spotlights. Bass music threatened to break your eardrums. There was a bar where everything from vodka to root beer could be ordered.

But the retro style could not conceal one thing: this building had been around for a long time. It was made of white stone, crumbling in some places. The windows did not have glass until ten years ago. The rooms were constructed of large stone blocks that fit so well together that you couldn't stick a playing card between them.

There was a set of stairs that wound their way through the house up to the roof, where there was a rooftop dining and lounging area. Bakura much preferred the roof to the blaring dance hall below. The cool night breeze danced through the palm leaves, and the car horns and engine noises from the road below were barely audible.

He reclined on an elegant couch that was made to resemble a lion. Sipping a martini delicately, he surveyed the landscape of the city. The sun had left twenty minutes ago, leaving behind a gentle violet dusk that settled over Luxor like a cape, seeming to muffle the sounds and sights, softening them until the buildings were no more than squarish purple forms jutting up into the evening sky.

Two hooded figures ascended the stairs, gliding up onto the roof and making a beeline straight for Bakura. He looked at them sourly.

"Having fun, ladies?"

"Don't play games with us, Baqir," said Akilah smoothly. "What have you done with my scales? You promised Shadi that none of this nonsense would happen!"

Baqir raised his hands, showing that they were empty. "I did not take the scales. But falsely accusing me does hurt my pride."

Ranya snorted. "You have no pride. And don't you realize this is serious? If some common thief has stolen the scales, we have no idea where he could have gone!"

"Use your eyes," snapped Baqir. "Surely you are capable of tracing a thief-"

Ranya reached forward and slapped him across the face. "Do not underestimate me," she snarled. Akilah darted in at him from behind, bending his arms behind his back. She forced him to his feet. "Come with us now, and explain _this_."

The twins frog-marched Bakura down the stairs and practically tossed him into a room. It was neatly made, with twin beds. By the window, encased by a circle of fire, was a small human girl, no older than eight or nine. She had curly auburn hair, mud-brown eyes, freckles and a very colorful vocabulary.

"Foolish humans," she screeched, trying to free herself from her imprisonment by banging herself against the fire again and again. "Foolish! Nasty! Stupid!" Swearing enough to make a sailor blush, she seemed to be unhurt by the ring that surrounded her, just contained (thankfully). Bakura would not want a little monster like this running around his room.

He could see that she held the Millennium Scales clenched tightly in her hands. "Let me go! No like this, stupid, foolish, nasty humans!"

She stopped and glared at them. "Why you stare like pigeons on wire? Fools! Stupid! Eyes blank and beady as pigeons!" She cawed triumphantly and began to throw herself against the barrier again.

"This little wastrel almost made off with my Millennium Scales," snapped Akilah. "Goodness knows if I hadn't had an anti-burglar spell on that thing…"

"That's wonderful and all, but could you let me go now?" asked Bakura sweetly.

The twins gave him one last burning gaze before bodily flinging him from the room.

_Thud. _"Ouch."

Akilah watched the girl try to escape for ten more seconds, and then lost all patience. "Shut up, you little mongrel!"

The girl stopped and stared. "What you call me?"

"Where did you learn to speak Arabic?" said Ranya derisively.

"Oh, I pick up word here and there," said the girl, waving her hands around to illustrate "here and there." "Me also speak some English, French, Japanese, Spanish. _¡Merdoso!"_ she demonstrated proudly.

"Basically, you can swear at people internationally," said Akilah in a bored voice. "Is there anything useful you can do, little monkey?"

"Me steal," said the girl. "Me like shiny things, like this. I fly by window, see this, come in window, take it, get trapped. You come in, I yell."

"Yes," said Akilah disdainfully. "And what exactly do you mean by 'fly?'"

"Me a sparrow," said the girl simply.

The twins gaped.

"Now, if you meanies let me go, I give you back the shiny."

"Fine," nodded Ranya, "But don't try any funny stuff, or you'll be burnt to ashes before you can say 'barbecue.'"


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Nineteen**

"_Wake up!" screeched Samira. _

"_Unnnng," groaned Seto, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. "What is it?"_

"_The last two priests have arrived!" Samira said. "Get into your ceremonial clothes and get to the throne room! We haven't much time!"_

_Ten hurried minutes later, Seto was up, washed and dressed, his Millennium Rod tucked into his belt.. He hastened into his place next to the throne, where Atem was sitting, being fanned by a slave, the wolf lazing at his feet._

"_Glad you could make it," said Atem snidely._

_Seto glared at him but did not answer._

_Trumpets blared; the three priests lined up against the wall, also in ceremonial dress._

_In came three soldiers, between them a rich-looking teenager who surveyed the throne room as if it weren't good enough for him. Seto didn't like him right from the start. _

"_Announcing Lord Baqir Akatar, priest of the Millennium Ring," said the herald._

_They went though all the pleasantries, hello, how are you, welcome to Thebes, and so on. Seto wasn't really listening. He was too busy staring at the second priest, a female. Shackled between two soldiers and with a bruise on her cheek, she stood in a dejected way, as if the life had been beaten out of her. _

_The herald stepped forward again. "Announcing Lady Ishizu Ishtaari, priestess of the Millennium Necklace."_

_The soldiers tried to drag her forward, but she suddenly sprang to life, struggling and scratching. A third soldier pulled out a whip and began to lash her savagely, then push her headfirst onto the cold stone floor in front of Atem, who looked horrified. Her back was a mass of scars and cuts, bleeding ghastly amounts of blood, some turning black, others green: infected. _

_Something in Seto's heart jolted. He stepped forward angrily, drawing his Millennium Rod from his belt. Time seemed to freeze… He single-handedly took on all of the soldiers, beating them down with such a fury that the rest retreated, quailing under his rage. _

_He stopped in front of the fallen Ishizu, who was kneeling on the ground, her forehead pressed to the floor. Slowly he drew his sword… all was silent except for the cold ring of metal against metal…_

_With the flat side of the blade, he lifted Ishizu's chin upward so her eyes met his… and to his surprise, he saw no fear there… only a calm dignity, a kind of acceptance of her fate. One thrust of the sword, and she would be dead…_

_Ishizu leaned over and kissed the flat of the sword. This was a gesture that meant she was not afraid of death, she welcomed it…_

_Her life was in Seto's hands… he could spare it or end it…_

_He turned the blade so that it lined up vertically, and made a quick downward flicking motion. It cut right through the shackles, breaking the chain. _

_Seto offered her a hand. She took it weakly, and he pulled her to her feet. He took one look at her face and knew that he wanted her, wanted her so badly. Her eyes were the color of the ocean on a sunny day, her lips the ruby red of a sunset. Her face was accented by high cheekbones and a proud chin. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen._

"_Well?" he demanded, looking around furiously. "Get this girl to a hospital! And do it quickly!"_

_Several slaves scurried forward. _Street filth_, he thought disgustedly. "Never mind, I'll carry her myself." _

_The festering sores on her back stained his shirt as he held her against him, but he didn't care. It was an outrage that such beauty and gentleness like this could be so marred, could be so abused… Fresh anger filled him as he realized how light she was. Her ribs were showing through the rags that she was wearing; she must have gone without food for days. _

_The palace physician hurriedly set to work, applying healing salve and bandages, washing and drying, and then Ishizu was asleep peacefully under a clean linen blanket._

_Seto watched her a moment before turning to go. The Millennium Necklace glimmered in the moonlight coming in through the window. Her raven's wing hair took on an almost purple sheen. _

_She turned suddenly, kicking off the blankets. For a moment Seto admired her fine figure, then shook his head, shivering. _No, I am not going to think like that._ He walked over to the bed and carefully pulled the covers back over her so she would stay warm. _Good night, Ishizu, _he thought. _Finally you are being treated like the princess you truly are.

_Far off in the palace gardens, the falcon lay curled up under a bush, feeling very much alone._

"So I suppose its Mendu's, eh?" remarked Ramla as the group of ten departed the ship, which had landed in the Luxor Airport.

Marik nodded. "Yeah. It's the best we could get on short notice. Cheap, familiar-"

"Loud," said Ramla peevishly. Marik chuckled.

They caught a bus to a stop near Mendu's Inn. Each lugged their own suitcase, but one was heavier than usual…

"Aw man!" Joey exclaimed, straining under the weight of his bag. "This thing is killin' me!"

"Here, let me give you a hand," offered Tristan. "Ugh! What did you pack in there!"

They struggled to stay upright under the heavy suitcase. Samira rolled her eyes at them and trotted up to walk next to Seto, who was viewing the sidewalk with a closed expression.

"You all right, Seto?"

He gave her a burning glare that nonetheless suggested otherwise.

Samira lowered her voice. "If it's about leaving Mokuba on the ship-"

He shrugged and tried to walk faster. Samira had to jog to keep up with his long strides.

They did not get another chance for conversation until much later, after they had arrived at Mendu's in. It was reminiscent of a Las Vegas strip bar, without the strippers (thankfully). Everyone piled their things in their assigned rooms and went in different directions: some outside, some to the restaurant, and some, like Seto, up onto the roof.

It was much quieter up here, and strangely familiar. He had gotten that feeling of déjà vu a lot more frequently since he had arrived in Egypt…

He chose a chair near the edge of the roof, where he could view the city below but be concealed by the shade of several potted palms.

"I seen you before!" shrieked a voice.

Starting, he grabbed out with his hands toward the noise, and surfaced with a small child with unruly curls and an even unrulier attitude.

She struggled as she tried to free herself from the firm grip he had on the back of her cape. "Let go, nasty beast!" she screamed. He silenced her with a hand over her mouth.

"Mmmmfgh! Mgnnn, stmpnnn, mmvmm bmm!"

"Shut _up_," he hissed. "What the heck were you doing, shouting into my ear like that!"

She continued to struggle, not answering. She flailed outward like a fish on a hook, opening several gashes on his arm with her sharp fingernails. He swore and dropped her.

"Ha ha, nasty beast! I escape! Now, me Suzuko. Sparrow. Well, sparrow, but now human." She lowered her voice to a whisper and said. "'Preciate it if you keep secret, but… I not supposed to be human, really. Not supposed to change. But I change. No like being sparrow. Sparrow always et and killed by nasty beasts like that you have."

"What?" he said blankly, only understanding about half of what she had just said.

"The nasty beast you have," Suzuko repeated. "Big, flying thing… grabs me… scary! Nasty! Stupid!" She resumed her rant of stupid nasty beasts, jumping around as she did so.

"You mean… Samira?" Seto had always thought of Samira as small, but to a sparrow a falcon was certainly a giant.

"That one," nodded Suzuko. "I seen you before. In the island across the water. You and the nasty beast. I follow you here. This place nice. Warm. Good." She plopped down on the outer wall of the roof. "So, why you here, exactly?"

He shrugged, still grasping the fact that this little wench was a sparrow. But he had realized after meeting Samira that there were way more weird things in the world than he had thought before. "I… don't really know. Ask Samira."

Suzuko shuddered. "I no want go near that big nasty beast. She eat me."

Seto snorted. "I doubt that."

"Whatever, yes," said Suzuko, waving the comment away. "But wherever you go, I must go with you, or I get lost."

He stood up, wanting to get away from the shrieking menace. "I don't think so, shrimp," he said, walking back toward the staircase.

Suddenly something collided with the back of his knees, almost throwing him off his feet. "Ugh," he grunted, doubling over and glaring at Suzuko. "What was that for?"

She wagged a finger at him in admonishment. "You think you can get away from me. You wrong, big stupid beast. I always follow you."

"Oh, great," he muttered, trying to walk away. To his complete surprise, he felt a small hand reach for his. He tried to pull away, but Suzuko had a firm grip. When he looked down at her, his mouth open to yell at her, his stomach twisted painfully. She was looking up at him with tears in her large brown eyes.

"Please," she whispered. "I have no home… I… I am lost."

For the first time in Seto's life, he was truly touched.

It felt weird.

He sighed heavily. "All right. Come on downstairs. I'll see if you can share a room with Samira."

"Eek! Not the nasty beast!"

He looked at her sidelong. "For the last time, she will not eat you. You're both humans. Humans don't eat other humans. Unless they're cannibals."

"Cannon balls?"

"Never mind."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Asim!"

Asim turned from the doorframe he was leaning on, reading a letter. He dropped the letter as his mouth dropped open. "Samira?"

She hugged him tightly. "I missed you, Asim! How are you?"

He shrugged. "I'm okay. But I want to get out of this place." He looked around. "Where's Ramla?"

Samira shook her head. "I don't know. Skulking around somewhere, maybe. She's been very… moody lately."

Asim snorted. "And I don't think I'd like to meet her in a state like that."

"Eek!" came a loud, shrieking voice from down the hall. "Nasty beasts!" It was very familiar.

Samira spun around. "If that damn sparrow followed me all the way to Egypt I swear I'm going to-"

Then came a deafening scream, more of a war cry, as something small but painful collided with Samira right between her shoulder blades. She let out a little moan and slumped to the ground.

"Hahaha!" gloated Suzuko, skipping around the fallen falcon. "Today a sparrow has defeated a evil stupid beast!"

Asim crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, more amused than appalled. "And who might you be?"

"Sparrow," repeated Suzuko. "Stupid fool, did you no hear me?" Asim raised an eyebrow. Suzuko suddenly jumped as if someone had jabbed her with a hot poker and screeched even louder than she had before.

Before she could escape, Asim lunged forward and grabbed her by the collar. "Ah, it seems we have a little bird who has violated the rules."

"No!" screamed Suzuko, writhing in his grip, struggling to escape. "No eat me! I no… I no…" She drooped. "Yes. I break the law."

"And why might that be?"

Suzuko lifted her shoulders in the imitation of a shrug. "Sparrow is boring. Always getting et by nasty beast."

"I see." Asim glanced down at Samira, who was still out cold. "That was smart of you. You got her right in the pressure point."

"Pressure point?" asked Suzuko.

"Any point in the body in which an artery can be pressed against a bone, stopping the artery's flow to its part of the body. Apparently Samira has a pressure point right between her shoulder blades that leads to her brain. When the blood flow was cut off, she fainted." Seto frowned. "But that doesn't make sense, since no one has a pressure point there-"

"Birds," explained Asim, regarding Seto as though he was just returning after a short trip out of the room. "They have extra bones in their back that lead to their wings. Samira obviously doesn't have wings when she's a human, but she does have some shoulder blade extension and wing-base structure right underneath a major artery to her brain."

"I'm not just a science experiment, you know," scolded Samira, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She glared at Suzuko, who stuck out her tongue. Samira jumped to her feet, advancing on the little sparrow-girl. "_Shi'irak amathis! Shinab'ush'meneb u'rehet shi'debelem-_"

Asim grabbed her arms and pulled her back. "Calm down," he was saying.

Seto, however, was no longer paying attention. He felt complete and total shock. He had just hear Samira say, plain as Japanese, "_You little bitch! When I get my hands on you_-"

Besides being dreadfully obscene, it was mystifying that Seto could understand it. He had never spoken that language before… this was the second time it had happened… His head was spinning… he had said something like that… a long time ago… a very long time ago…

His legs suddenly felt very weak. He leaned against the wall for support.

And then Asim was coming towards him… introducing himself… extending his hand…

"_Wikir a'emsheg'shim,"_ said Seto.

Asim grinned. "_Wikir a'emsheg'shim, teben_," he replied.

Samira clapped her hands. "Seto, you're remembering!"

He realized he had just spoken the language again… without even thinking… it had just come out of his mouth…

"I said 'nice to meet you,'" he said hesitantly.

"In Late Upper Egyptian," added Asim.

"Áram!" shrieked Suzuko.

Samira gave her an icy look. "That's Arabic," she pointed out.

Suzuko lifted her shoulders. "Insults is universal,"  
she said, grinning maliciously.

Samira aimed a kick at her. Suzuko nimbly dodged it and nipped in with one of her own. Cackling, she zoomed off down the hall. Samira dashed after her in hot pursuit, swearing furiously in Late Upper Egyptian.

Asim chuckled. "Fast friends, those two."

"I was going to ask if Samira would let Suzuko share a room with her, but I guess it's not to be."

He shrugged. "You never know. They might get over their differences." He yawned and stretched. "Want to come down to the bar with me and get a drink?"

Seto was alarmed. "What sort of drink?"

Asim laughed at the expression on Seto's face. "Not alcohol, smart one. That's illegal. I mean like soda."

"Oh," Seto said, relieved. "All right, then."

As they strolled down the hall, Seto pondered a new notion that had just occurred to him. Asim was nice, funny, and easygoing. His casual air made him easy to be around. Maybe, just maybe… they could be friends.

Seto had never felt this way before. Ever since Samira had come, it was like a door he never even knew was there had opened. Out of it came memories, feelings, thoughts… a whirlwind out of the past, come to spin him up into it.

Down at the bar, Marik had been swamped by a small crowd of girls, all begging for his attention. Seto marveled at how Marik looked so comfortable among them, chatting and laughing, flirting and joking. Seto shuddered at the very thought.

Asim ordered them both ginger ales. Seto sipped his silently, contemplating the future. He forgot he was supposed to be talking to Asim until his new companion tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Seto, who's that girl over there?"

"Huh?" Seto followed Asim's gaze. Sitting in a corner, talking quietly with Samira, Téa and Serenity was Meryl. Her glasses were off, and she looked a lot different. A lot… cuter.

_What_? thought Seto incredulously. _Did I think that?_

He shook his head mentally to clear it. No more such thoughts.

"That's… my secretary," he said blankly, still a little confused.

"You brought her along?" Asim said curiously. "Why? Do you like her?"

"No," said Seto so forcefully that Asim moved back a little.

"Okay, okay, calm down. I just wanted to know, cuz, you know, I wouldn't want to hit on your girl."

"Hit? What?"

Asim stared at him incredulously. Seto felt really stupid. Hit on… it was what Samira had said; back on the airship… he had thought it meant physically hitting someone. But judging by the expression on Asim's face, it meant something else.

Asim shook his head. "Never mind." He leaned closer, confidentially. "You sure you didn't hire her just for her looks?"

Seto shook his head, scandalized by the very thought. "Of course not!"

He grinned. "I was kidding, I was kidding." Asim got up and swaggered over to where the girls were clustered.

Sipping his ginger ale, Seto inconspicuously watched out of the corner of his eye. Samira was looking at Asim knowingly as he flirted with Meryl. Then, Serenity, Téa and Samira scattered as Asim returned to the counter with a flattered Meryl on his arm. He bought her a drink, chatted her up, and made her laugh… Asim made it look easy. But, Seto knew it would be impossible for him.

"It's shameless, the way he does that," remarked a voice in his right ear.

Seto almost knocked over his ginger ale. He glared at Samira. "Don't _do_ that!" he exclaimed.

She gave him an evil grin. "Hey, I can't help it if you're off your guard."

He shot her a look that plainly said she was an insufferable bother, and, taking his ginger ale with him, strode out of the room.

Trotting footsteps informed him that she was _still_ following him. He whirled around, squinting in the dark corridor. "Will you ever go away?" he demanded.

"No," she said sweetly. Dropping the fake voice, Samira turned serious. "Seto, please don't get all huffy on me. I was only kidding-"

"What does 'hit on' mean?" he snarled.

She was silent for a moment, plainly startled. "Seto, why-"

"Everyone seems to think I'm some kind of-"

"Womanizer," said Samira in a small voice. Seto had to restrain himself from doing something very rash.

"What?" he hissed poisonously, positively seething with anger.

Samira quailed under his burning gaze. "I…" she stuttered, and then regained her stature. "I know you're different now, but… before… um…" she trailed off, looking nervously at the floor. "You didn't… feel the same way… you do now… about… you know…"

Seto felt like someone had just told him that he was really an alien from a different planet. "I _what_?"

She shrugged. "It's just that, well, Asim was a little surprised that you seemed to be afraid of girls."

"He should watch who _he_ calls womanizer," Seto growled, his hands clenching into fists.

"Um… Asim just flirts with them, Seto, he doesn't… er… ah…" If there had been some light in the corridor Samira would have been blushing furiously. "He doesn't go as far! Uh, good night!" She bolted down the hall, melting into the shadows, leaving a speechless Seto behind.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

_Animals are different from people. Not only in the way they look, but also in the way they look at things. Being an animal and a person at the same time would give you a very different perspective on life. _

_Ramla smelled trouble. There were no cries of pain or blood spilled. But there was unrest, in the ways that people moved, the tremors in their voices, and above all, the scent of fear. _

_For some it is like an elixir, giving them life to know that others are deathly afraid. The smell sparks motivation like nothing else can. Wolves on the trail of a wounded deer; the leaders of armies, sensing the unsure demeanor of the opposing generals; but most of all, Falragh the Dark One. For it is he who glorifies in inflicting pain and suffering, inducing strife and fright. To smell fear is his life, for he lives on fear and hurt._

_Ever since Ishizu had come to Thebes, things had been different. Ramla did not have to look around the door to know what was going on behind it. Many men, including ones of high positions like the captain of the guard and the chief scribe, were seduced by Ishizu's mysterious, attractive allure. Ramla feared that the Pharaoh might be next. Ishizu might be a peg holding down a thread of the Grand Design, but Ramla would not let her infatuate Atem to the point of control._

_During the evening feast two weeks after the completion of the Millennium Item positions, Ramla met Samira in the palace gardens for a chat._

"_The Ishtaari girl concerns me," she said in a low voice._

_Samira nodded glumly. "Seto is charmed beyond all reason. He seems to think… that she loves him, and no other man, but-"_

_Ramla made a small noise of disgust. "She has slept with ten different men since she first arrived!" She looked sideways at her sister. "Is Seto…?"_

_Samira covered her eyes with her hands. "Oh, I don't know… I don't even go into his room anymore. He's changed, Ramla, and it's not for the better."_

_Putting a comforting arm around her sister's shoulder, Ramla said in a pacifying voice, "Most men are like that, dear sister. Fickle as yeast, and harder to figure out than what's in Cook's duck sauce."_

"_I don't eat that stuff anymore," groaned Samira, "After I threw up for four hours straight." Ramla chuckled. _

"_Maybe Seto will come round, once he sees that Ishizu's nothing but a witch and a slut," she said. "You never know."_

"_You think I could… sort of nudge him in that direction?" asked Samira._

_Ramla shrugged. "At your own risk. You don't know how he'll take it." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial tone. "But did you see Ishizu's brother? He's… dreamy…"_

"_What's his name?"_

"_Marik, I think. I only saw him once. I was looking for grasshoppers in the courtyard-"_

"_Ramla!" admonished Samira, wrinkle her nose. "That's nasty!"_

"_Oh, but grasshoppers are good! They taste all buttery-"_

"_All right, all right, I get the picture. Keep on with the story, please."_

"_Fine. I was… uh, foraging for food in the courtyard when I heard him arguing with his sister. He was trying to get her to stay in her own room at night for once. He was worried about her."_

"_Oh, that's so sweet," breathed Samira._

"_Anyway, I hid behind the wall and peeked out. He looks nothing like his sister. He's got purple eyes, just like Atemu, and fair hair. And his voice is so hypnotizing…"_

"_Just like Ishizu's," said Samira, stiffening with suppressed anger. "They say that's half of how she's so transfixing. Her voice is smoother than the inside of a seashell, and it rises and falls like the waves on the sand."_

"_Forget about Ishizu, won't you?" chastised Ramla. "She's putting you in a bad state. If you're lonely, I suggest you try Marik."_

"_What about you? I thought you liked him!"_

_Ramla smiled mystifyingly. "I already have someone." But no matter how hard Samira tried, Ramla wouldn't tell. _

"_Off with you, it's getting late," said Ramla. "I have places to go and people to see. Good night, little sister."_

_Samira gave Ramla a big hug. "Thanks for everything, Ramla. See you around." With a wave, she disappeared behind a pillar and faded from sight and sound._

_Seto sat at his desk, reading a spell scroll. He looked up when Samira appeared at his open door. "What do you want?" he asked coldly. _

"_I need to talk to you."_

"_I have other thing to be doing. Go away."_

"_You cannot ignore me, Seto."_

"_Can, and am." He went back to reading his scroll._

_Samira sighed exasperatedly. "It's about Ishizu."_

_He looked up fast, a little too fast. Samira's heart sank. _

"_Well, come in then, and shut the door."_

_She obeyed, and came to stand in front of him. "Ishizu is not who you think she is, Seto. She does not belong to you alone. Other men-"_

_Rage twisting his face, Seto rose to his feet and lifted his hand to strike her. She met it with her own hand, crackling with blue magic. He growled and stepped back._

_Samira pushed on. "Ishizu is a whore. She sleeps with any man who-"_

_Unexpectedly, Seto grabbed her by the neck and forced her to the bed, applying pressure… forcing the air out of her lungs… strangling… choking…_

"_You lie, little vixen," he snarled._

_She struggled under his weight. "Take care who you call vixen!" she choked out, and fell into a coughing fit. Seto lifted her by her collar, opened the door, and bodily flung her from the room. She landed on her ankle at a funny angle, and felt it give way beneath her. The blood pounded in her head, and she slumped against the pillar, drowning in pain. _

_And then she heard footsteps… they seemed a world away… a shout… and then gentle arms lifted her up… she was being carried now… her ankle hung limply from her leg, the pain throbbing like a drumbeat. _

_She was being laid down on a bed… healing salve being put on her ankle, and then bandages… slowly; the pain ebbed away to a tiny sting. _

_Samira opened her eyes. _

_She was in a small bedroom with many shelves overflowing with plants: climbing vines, flowers, and miniature trees. Morning sunlight filtered in through the window and spread across the bed. _

_For a moment she could not remember… her head had been knocked soundly in the fall… _

_And then the painful memories came rushing back… how Seto had almost killed her… strangled her, and then thrown her against the pillar… he had called her a vixen. _

_White-hot anger filled her, and she resolved to find Seto and put him to rights. Hanging her feet over the edge of the bed and putting weight on them, she yelped as a stabbing ache shot through her left ankle._

"_You won't be walking on that for a while," said a voice from the door. _

_Samira looked up in surprise. _

_He strode forward and extended his hand, regarding her with purple eyes. "I'm Marik," he said. "You got pretty banged up last night." He lightly touched Samira's bruised cheek, making her shiver. "I'll go get some more healing salve for that." He left the room for a moment, and then came back with a small jar full of a waxy substance. Gently he brushed some onto her cuts and bruises. _

"_Thank you," said Samira softly. "But why… I mean, I'm a stranger to you."_

_Marik shrugged, and stroked her cheek. He was not applying healing salve. "Such beauty should not be marred," he whispered. _

_Samira turned pink, and her pulse quickened. She looked down at her feet, but Marik tilted her chin back up toward him with his hand. "And what is your name?" he asked._

"_Samira," she mumbled, not used to receiving this kind of attention. _

"_I brought you breakfast, Samira," Marik said, waving his hand at a platter of soft bread, fruit and sweetmeats on the dresser next to the bed._

"_Thanks," she said, smiling. Marik smiled back, and the effect made her stomach tie itself in knots. Ramla was right— Marik was very cute, and really nice too. _

_She ate daintily from the tray as Marik talked to her. He told her how he liked to garden; that explained all of the plants in the room. He told her how he had come with Ishizu to Thebes; how they were orphans, living in a broken village in the desert. The pharaoh's soldiers had come, and captured Ishizu. She had not wanted to come to Thebes, so they put her in shackles, and had beaten Marik an inch from death when he tried to protect her. He had recovered, and followed the soldiers across the desert to the palace. _

"_And how about you, Samira?" he asked, turning to her. His face became grave. "Why is the High Priest hurting you?" His eyes grew wide. "Was he—trying to… you know…"_

_Samira shook her head, and gasped in pain. "Careful," cautioned Marik. "The High Priest bruised your neck when he, um…"_

_Unbidden tears of pain and sadness welled up in Samira's eyes. Why? Why had Seto done this to her? They had been friends… and now Ishizu was tearing them apart… Ishizu was turning Seto into a monster…_

_She collapsed on the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. "Oh, Seto, what have you become?"_

_And then… the words emanated not from her lips, but from within her, and yet from a thousand years, a thousand centuries away…_

_A different voice, not her own, spoke. The room was filled with a fiery light, and an illimitable darkness. The teetering balance made Marik's head spin as he heard these words:_











_His teeth ached, his body shivered and sweated, the world was being tipped sideways… and then he was falling… falling into nothingness… raucous laughter filled his ears, hurting them, destroying them… his vision left, and all he could see was miles and miles of void…_

_A falcon's cry cut through the darkness like a shooting star through the lightless sky. Hands gripped his; pulling him back upward, away from the void, up towards the light…_

_Samira was slumped against him, weeping. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her protectively… to keep her safe…_

_She looked up at him with whirling fear like a flaming wheel reeling in her golden eyes, and whispered, "Vaneth. Vaneth is back."_

"_Shhh," he murmured, cuddling her, smoothing her hair, wiping away her tears, but try as he might he could not brush away the fear that was gripping his heart like an iron fist. He had felt a terrible evil fill this room… Samira was hurting… she was weak… and this Vaneth, who ever he was, was back, and the whole kingdom was in danger._

_But who would listen? Who would listen to the brother of the palace whore, alone in the world except for his plants?_

_This girl, who he had taken under his wing, who he had healed and looked after, who he had smiled at and laughed with, who he had only known for a few short hours… this girl, with the golden eyes that saw right into his heart, that were filled with tears right now… _

_She would listen._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Suzuko sat on her windowsill, legs dangling out the open window. Her upturned face was bathed in silver moonlight as she regarded the night sky gravely.

_As the summer wind_

_Paints mournful tunes_

_On the dusky air_

_As the autumn chill_

_Bites the river reeds_

_Strips the tall trees bare_

_As the winter frost_

_Turns the whole world white_

_Kills without a care_

_Know through the tears and the lashing rain_

_Through the whirling turns of the changing world_

_After the heat, the cold, the pain_

_The next leaf bud shall be unfurled_

_But if the sun fails to shine_

_Through the cloud's dark reign_

_If the moon does not return_

_After being slain_

_If the world stops turning_

_And falls into shadow…_

_When the sun dies, when the moon cries, I'll be there._

Suzuko felt trapped. Trapped in a mortal world, trapped in a spider's web, trapped by the rules that she was bound to. She did not belong among humans. She was not a human. She was out of her place, upstepping the Grand Design.

But being a human was so much more fun than being a sparrow! She had been on the other side of the fence, and she did not want to go back.

"Hello, little sparrow girl, how are you tonight?"

Suzuko squawked and almost fell off of the windowsill. "The nasty beast has a follower!" she shrieked.

"I'm her sister, kid."

Suzuko stared at Ramla suspiciously, then nodded. "Yes, I see the nasty resemblance now."

Ramla rolled her eyes and went into the bathroom. She seemed to take Suzuko's presence for granted, like she were some creeping ivy growing on the wall; it would always be there. It bothered Suzuko; she would rather be a nuisance than be insignificant.

Soon Ramla appeared from the bathroom, changed into a nightshift. "Still here, are you?" she remarked placidly, sitting on the bed.

Suzuko glared at her. "You much different from other nasty beast."

Ramla snorted. "Samira? We're different as night and day. By the way, I saw how you knocked her out earlier. That was absolutely beautiful."

Suzuko blushed with pride. "Thanks you. I also proud of banging up the head a stupid beast."

Ramla laughed out loud. "Your Arabic is atrocious. I suppose you learned just from listening to people?"

Suzuko nodded. "I do well for that kind of learner, no?"

She shrugged. "I guess so, if you think of it that way. But if you go in the streets talking like that, you're going to get laughed out of Luxor." She pulled the covers over herself. "You'd better keep it down, or I might eat you."

Suzuko stuck her tongue out. "I taste very bad."

"If you taste half as bad as you talk, then I wouldn't serve you up to my worst enemy," snorted Ramla. "If you're going to bed anytime soon, there are some blankets in the closet. You can kip on the floor." She turned over and was asleep.

When Seto walked into his room, he would be less surprised to see the queen of England than whom he found then.

"Mokuba?" he gasped, nearly jumping right into the air. "How… what… you should be on the ship! You're injured!"

Mokuba hung his head. "I'm sorry Seto, I just really wanted to come. How can you expect me to stay behind when all of this is going on?"

Seto shrugged, then glared at his brother. "You have a _head injury. _You were in a _coma._ You're supposed to be resting!"

Tears suddenly came to Mokuba's eyes. "Please don't be mad at me, Seto," he said, barely holding back the sob in his voice. "I wanted to be here… because I know that if anything… happens to you, I want it to happen to me too."

These words melted Seto's heart, like he had just swallowed a spoonful of warm soup. It was good to know that at least one person cared about him…

He muttered something about taking a shower and hightailed it to the bathroom.

Mokuba sat sadly on the bed, looking droopily at his shoes. At least Seto wasn't mad at him for coming…

But in his heart, there was a dull ache that wouldn't fade, a hollow spot, where once the old Seto, the Seto that Mokuba loved, had been.

But the old Seto was gone now. Long gone. Ever since that day at the pier… Seto had stopped calling him Mokie, had stopped smiling… Mokuba hadn't heard his brother's true laugh in six years.

And yet there was hope. Samira was here now, and with any luck, she would bring his good side back.

She stood on the mountaintop, tall and proud, straight-backed and regal. Her demeanor brought to mind the great native chiefs of old, wise beyond their years. Bright red hair hung down her back, done in the traditional over-the-ears women's hairstyle, and gathered at the bottom in the back.

Blinking, she listened carefully as the wind whispered to her across the purple evening sands. _Three days, _it said, brushing across her face, ruffling her hair. It carried the smell of blood.

She sat down cross-legged upon the rock, to watch and wait.

And then another shape seemed to rise up out of the cliff, just come into being like smoke curling up from a fire. This person was cloaked and hooded, sinister and mysterious.

It raised one arm, as if to beckon. A vulture's shrill cry split the night air like a wedge through a block of wood, shattering the silence. The bird flapped its great wings and alighted, hunchbacked, on the hooded one's forearm.

Stooping, the figure swathed in cloth melted back into the rock like liquid shadow, the bird leaving with it.

As the sun set, the girl became nothing more than an extension of the rock, still as stone.

Azar fought her bonds like an animal, her mouth open in a scream that no one could hear.

"Stop your whining, mortal," snarled the voice. It stabbed at her like a thousand daggers. "No one is here to save you."

"I- don't- need- saving-" she replied savagely, but at the same time was wildly afraid. The words were leaving her… her past was disintegrating into nothing, evaporating like the little pools of water in rock after a short rain. It was a small battle just to get each word out.

The voice laughed mirthlessly, a harsh, raking sound that tore at her. Azar writhed in pain as the voice shouted, "Fool! So independent, are we? That will change. Already you are forgetting who you are. Soon your memories shall disappear, and you shall be nothing but an empty shell, void of humanity. Just a puppet for me to use.

The words stung, and they made Azar's blood boil. "No!" she screamed. "You will never control me!"

"That's what you think," said the voice, and she could perceive, somewhere far off, yet close by, smiling most poisonously. "I have great plans for you, darling. Two of your tribe's mages have willingly done my bidding. Your village is in ruins. Your people are turned to the dark side. And you shall carry out the most gleeful deed of all."

Azar bared her teeth; fighting back a wave of worry, worry for her friends and family. "And what might that be?"

"You shall slay the pharaoh, Azar. Your name means fire, but its true definition is Peril. You shall bring peril to the world, wreak havoc on those who you once loved."

"No! Never!" Furious beyond words, she lashed out, screaming a war cry.

Red-hot pain burst into flame as an iron fist connected with her skull. "You shall not defy me!"

The words were so loud, she felt as if her head were cracking open. Subdued, she sank down… falling, falling… falling into nothingness… falling into oblivion…

Falling into defeat.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Samira had said they would leave the next day for the Gate of Worlds, wherever that was. Seto hoped it wasn't too far out in the desert.

He got up early and made sure all of his things were packed. He felt a little weird in these Egyptian clothes, but they were comfortable at least.

The Millennium Rod in his belt, he strode down the hall, which was still dim in the early morning light. Seto had a mind to go get some breakfast; he wondered what they ate here.

And then he heard voices. Hushed. Secretive. Worried.

One was Samira's. The other was Marik's.

"-ask if anyone has word of him," Marik was saying quietly.

"He couldn't have gone far. He's on the very edge, the rim of my conscience, brushing it. It's so maddening! He's such a coward… he's _teasing_ me, Marik."

Seto heard the rustle of clothing, and Samira sigh softly. Contentedly. Curiously, he peeked around the corner.

Samira was leaning into Marik's arms, relaxed, her eyes closed. The way they were standing, so familiarly… it was like they were just meeting after a very long time apart. So Samira must know Marik from the Time Before…

He turned this thought over in his mind, and it scared him deeply. And at the same time there was revulsion as he looked at the two, as he wondered, why would anybody want to _do _that?

Besides, whom were they talking about? Somebody… a coward… Seto hated cowards. They were worse than backstabbers.

Deep in thought, he didn't notices that Marik had left, and Samira was lingering in the hall by herself. She smiled knowingly and looked around, right at Seto. "You can come out now."

He blinked, a little embarrassed. He didn't bother asking how she knew he was there. "Who were you talking about?" he asked her instead.

Her face clouded. Samira shook her head fiercely. "I… don't want to talk about it." She turned and abruptly rushed down the hall, and out of sight.

Chapter Eleven

Ramla and Asim came back from the market that morning with a small caravan of camels. Yugi and Seto, who both happened to be standing on the porch of Mendu's, gaped in sheer surprise, as the train of animals lined up before them.

One of the camels made a disagreeable noise and spit a large gob of saliva, dangerously close to where Seto was standing on the porch. He swore softly and stepped quickly away. "Do they do that all the time?" asked Yugi uncertainly.

Asim laughed heartily, slapping the spitting camel lightly on the rump. "This one's my favorite," he told them. "He's got an attitude. He seems to be the only one that spits, luckily, or we'd be soaked by the time we got to Suresh."

"Where's Suresh?" Yugi asked, at the same as Seto asked, "Aren't camels kind of slow?"

Asim grinned. "To get to Suresh in three days, we need the fastest transportation possible. We can't use horses, because they don't travel well in the desert. You can't get to Suresh in an airplane because of the sandstorms. They can blow up at anytime, unexpected."

"Suresh is the Akanep capital," explained Ramla. "The Akanep people are a native tribe whose ancestry go all the way back to ancient Egypt. They were loyal to Pharaoh Atem during the Shadow war." She looked pointedly at Yugi, who nodded, deep in thought. "They were red," he said suddenly.

Seto gave him a strange look.

Yugi shook his head slowly. "I'm remembering… the Scorpion people; red hair, red eyes, and fierce warriors."

No one said anything for a moment.

"Did I just say that?" asked Yugi.

Seto would have made a rude remark about how Yugi was going crazy, except that these strange rememberings were happening to him too. He just looked at the floor, scuffing his boot against the wooden planks of the porch. The city was still waking up, but already the shouts of street vendors and the obnoxious vroom-vroom of car engines could be heard.

"It's because you've met them before," said Ramla, securing a pack on one of the camels. She fixed Yugi with her silver stare. "Who knows? We might even meet someone on this trip that triggers total recall."

"And who would that be?" said Yugi.

Ramla shrugged. "I have no idea," she said unhelpfully.

Seto went back inside. There was nothing for him out there. He didn't want to be anywhere with Yugi, anyway.

So they were bound for Suresh. Wherever that was, it must be near the Gate of Worlds. Oh joy, more people to meet, he thought cynically. A whole tribe of them. They'll all be fawning over Yugi like he's the best thing that ever happened to them…

The anger simmered inside him for a while. He trudged up onto the roof to cool off. But whom should he find up there but the little screeching menace, none other than Suzuko herself?

"You look angry today, human!" she said, skipping after him. "What happen to you for angry face?"

He couldn't help himself. He smiled, a secretive, small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"Aha!" exclaimed Suzuko, grinning like a Jack-o-lantern. "I make the happy come to your face! I must be the happy maker!"

He snorted, suppressing a laugh. "What is so funny?" Suzuko demanded suspiciously.

"It's just… the way you talk…"

Suzuko cackled, reminiscent of the wicked witch of the west. "I talk the most best of all you humans. You just jealous."

"Whatever you say, kid." He hurriedly conjured up the mask he usually wore of stubborn sullenness.

"Do not start that with me, human. It is good to be happy! If are always mooching around the tree, then never see the sky and the air, never be a free bird. So be happy, friend Seto!" And to his complete surprise, she hugged him tightly around the middle.

He made a noise a cross between an "Ugh!" and an "Oof!" Hastily he tried to peel her off of him, uncomfortable and embarrassed. But she wouldn't let go. Finally he gave it up as a lost cause and let her hug him for a while longer. "See?" said Suzuko, smiling up at him. "I can be friend of you, so you can be happy." And she skipped away, humming off-key.

Seto was left with a funny feeling inside.

"That was so cute I think I'm going to cry," said a snide voice from under the potted palms.

A boy stepped out from the shade. It was one of Yugi's friends, the big blonde lunkhead with an even bigger mouth.

Well, he thought decisively; that little street rat would leave with two black eyes. He had taken on more than two at a time before, when bullies had been attacking Mokuba.

"Don't you have somebody else to annoy?" he said dismissively, turning to go.

"I challenge you to a duel, rich boy!" Joey shouted.

Seto laughed bitterly. "Sorry, Wheeler, I don't duel amateurs."

"You've been a little to cocky lately since you've had the Millennium Rod in your belt," said Joey accusatorially, pointing an ominous finger at him.

Seto whipped around, holding the Millennium Rod out toward his attacker. Joey stepped back, clearly afraid. "You want to try me, Wheeler?" he said dangerously.

"Kaiba! No!" came a frantic voice from the stairs. Yugi, closely followed by the rest of the nerd herd, stampeded up onto the roof. Oh great, Seto thought exasperatedly.

"If you use the Millennium Rod against Joey I'll-"

"I wasn't going to use it, Yugi," Seto said coolly. He tucked it back in his belt and turned back to the now much braver-looking Joey. "So it was a duel, wasn't it?"

"That's right, you billionaire brat, and this time, you're going down!" said Joey with great bravado. Seto rolled his eyes.

"I highly doubt that," he snorted. Joey replied by attaching his duel disk to his arm and setting it to duel mode. "We'll see, Kaiba," was all he said.

"I'm sorry, but your testosterone-fueled, highly overblown egos are going to have to wait until after we get to Suresh to duel," said an icy voice.

"Su-what?" said Joey confusedly.

"It's the city where we're going, Joey," said Téa exasperatedly. "Don't you ever listen?"

"Nope," said Tristan wisely.

Ramla glared at them. "The camels are ready. Make sure all of your things are packed.

Joey freaked out. "What? I can't ride a camel!"

Ramla eyed him beadily. "If you want to follow your pharaoh, a camel you shall ride."

The conversation was over. She beckoned them down the stairs. Mendu met them out by the camels. He seemed strangely familiar, in the way he walked, stooped-like, eyes black and wise, head shiny and bare. He shook Asim's hand with both of his and said, "Have a safe trip, my lord. Good luck, and may the gods be with you."

Asim bowed and returned the wish. He handed a pouch that jingled with the promise of coins. Mendu took it gingerly and tucked it in his belt.

Seto was still seething from the run-in with Joey. He wanted to kick something really bad.

A soft weight settled on his shoulder. "I'll ride with you, if you like," the falcon offered softly.

"But please stay a bird."

"Fine, Mr. Ornery."

Getting on the camel was half the challenge. It seemed a lot higher up when you were closer. The camel eyed Seto sullenly as he approached it. He stood next to the camel uncertainly. For once, he was glad that the falcon was on his shoulder. "What do I do?" he whispered.

Ramla and Asim were helping Yugi and Joey onto a camel. "Serenity, I don't think you should come," Joey said. "If it gets too dangerous, I don't want you to get hurt."

Serenity smiled at her brother. "Are you sure? I don't want anything to happen to you, either."

Joey shrugged. "I'll be okay," he assured her. "You'll be safer here."

"Téa," Yugi began.

"I don't think so," said Téa fiercely. "I'm, coming with you, Yugi, and don't even try to stop me."

Yugi smiled weakly. Seto barely restrained a sneer. It must be hard, always having a fan club following you around.

"Joey, I'll stay with Serenity," Tristan volunteered.

The nerd herd twittered on. Seto tuned out. He looked up at the camel's towering hump and wondered… how would he get up there? And where the heck would he _sit?_

The falcon clicked her tongue and said something in Arabic. The camel grunted and reluctantly sank onto its knees. Now it was a lot shorter.

Seto settled into the saddle, which was more like a blanket. His bags were tied on behind him; the falcon was on his shoulder. She clicked her tongue again and whistled, and the camel rose to its feet.

He scrambled for a handhold as the ground rushed away from him, all too fast. Things looked a lot different higher up. He found the reins and gripped them tightly, in case the camel suddenly decided to take off.

Behind him was another camel, tied to his, with more baggage tethered to it. It occurred to Seto how hard it must be to be a camel, always having to carry people's stuff around, and clomp across the desert with men on their backs.

He gave the camel a little nod, as if to say thanks.

It winked.

Seto stared at it, feeling hollow. Had that camel just…?

"Yes," breathed the falcon in his ear. "Animals are more than they seem at first glance."

He felt strange… floaty-like. Transported to a different world, lighter somehow, free of a burden.

"Why do I feel so… different?" he asked quietly, tentatively.

The falcon blinked at him contentedly. "You're changing, Seto."

With a sudden, heart-stopping lurch, the camel began to rock back and forth, trotting recklessly with Seto hanging on for dear life on the back. It was a bit like being on the deck of a ship in a storm. He would think he was finally stable when another rolling wave would come and he would have to scramble to stay on top of the camel.

The train of camels set off down the street, out of the city. The houses became farther apart, until the trees and buildings faded to miles and miles of sand, an immense ocean that seemed illimitable.

And then the city was behind them, getting smaller and smaller, until it was no more than a dark smudge on the horizon, and then disappeared altogether.

Seto found a burnoose in his bag and put it on to shield himself from the blistering sun beating down upon his neck. The falcon curled up underneath the cloth, her soft feathers tickling his cheek a bit. "The sun will set soon," she whispered. "It will be much cooler. Soon you will have the burnoose on for warmth."

He nodded grimly, and wondered why anyone would want to live in the desert.

All too soon, the vast sea of sand swallowed the sun, and the earth was plunged into a darkness and coldness that Seto had never known before. It was so quiet and deep… this sand that the camels' hooves trod on was the same sand that people ten thousand years ago had traversed across. The silence was absolute, the infinity of the desert night was staggering.

Shivering, he pulled the burnoose closer about him. The heat had left almost as quickly as you would turn out the light. He squinted through the blackness, making out the shape of the rider of the camel in front of him. It was Marik. "Ishtar," he hissed. Marik looked about, then turned.

"Hm?"

"When are we stopping?"

"There's an oasis about a half mile from here. We're almost there. We'll camp there until tomorrow evening, which is when we set off for the Ashbaúdi Hills, the second campsite. Third night is Hemeget."

"But there's been fighting there," came the sleepy murmur of the falcon, tucked beneath Seto's cloak.

Marik looked around for a moment for the voice's source, then saw the two golden eyes and sharp, hooked beak; the speckled feathers, concealed under Seto's hood. "We'll have to hope things have gotten under control. If not-" he shrugged. "We might have to skip it and do a suicide run to Suresh. I don't know if that will work."

"What kind of fighting?" Seto asked.

"Seems two mages rebelled against their superior and took over the village," replied Marik. "There's been a lot of turmoil. Many of the people there have been possessed."

Seto stared at him.

If it were not dark, he would have seen Marik's furious blush. Marik muttered something indistinctly and turned to face the front. He didn't look back again.

"What did I do?" said Seto.

"You are _so_ clueless," said the falcon exasperatedly. "You just insulted him when you look at him like that, when he was talking about possessed people. His past isn't any better than yours, you know."

"Shut _up_," said Seto through clenched teeth, feeling the heat rise in his face.

"Oh look, we're here," said the falcon airily, and she transformed.

"Aghh!" Seto said frantically, trying to put as much space as possible between him and the girl in front of him.

"Grow _up_, Seto, I don't have cooties." She gave him an alarmingly coy look and leapt gracefully down from the camel, which had come to a halt.

Through the pink-purple dawn, Seto could make out a small stand of palm trees and a pile of rocks. He could hear the faint trickle of water somewhere close. Voices were filling the cool night air as the rest of the caravan began to stir and unpack themselves.

And then Seto had a sudden, panicky thought:

Where was Mokuba?

He had seen him just last night… he had wanted Mokuba to stay behind… If Mokuba had stowed away again, Seto was going to kill him…

In the flurry of activity around him, he stood still, searching for a face…

Someone tugged at his cape. Seto whipped around.

Mokuba stood, looking hesitantly up at his brother. Seto was so relieved he almost hugged him.

Mokuba opened his mouth and began, "I know you didn't want me to come, but-"

Seto shook his head fiercely. He bent down so that he was eye to eye with Mokuba. "I would rather have you with me any day," he said softly, and gave Mokuba's hands a little squeeze.

He abruptly straightened and hurried away, but that couldn't banish the warm feeling Mokuba felt. Mokuba smiled to himself, and held that light inside him, to save it for days when there was no light on the outside.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Yugi lay curled up on a blanket, the wolf as his pillow. He had just had a drink of water from the spring; it was the clearest and purest he had ever tasted.

The sun was peeking its rosy face around the curve of the earth, but it was still chilly outside. Yugi pulled his blanket over his head to shield from cold and light.

Suzuko had climbed one of the palm trees and had made a leafy nest for herself at its crown. She was now fast asleep, snoring slightly.

A little ways off from the oasis, Yugi could see Meryl and Asim chatting. Marik had made his bed and conked right out. Kaiba was standing with his hands in his pockets, staring off into the desert, the falcon on his shoulder. Mokuba, Téa and Joey had already fallen asleep.

All was peaceful. All was calm. Some frogs near the spring were singing softly into the early morning air. Water trickled over the rocks, singing a song to itself. The palm leaves waved in the breeze, tickling Yugi's face.

He blinked and sighed contentedly. All was well.

He turned over and closed his eyes, giving himself to sleep.

Seto stood very still, looking out into the seemingly endless desert, and wondering what was on the other side. What would be his fate? Here he was, stuck with Yugi's nerd herd and some psycho falcon girl, and he had actually gone along with all the plans. He was still wondering why, in a corner of his mind.

And what Samira had said about him changing… Was he? He felt different. Light as a cloud. Like he had left all his worries behind. But the thought scared him a little. Was he becoming a different person? Or was he just going back to who he had been before?

"You should be getting to sleep soon," the falcon said quietly, shifting into a different position. She ruffled her feathers and settled into the crook of his neck. It was an oddly comforting feeling.

Seto reached up and stroked the falcon's soft feathers absentmindedly. "So what is this whole Time-Cleft idea?" he asked. He was stuck with them, so he might as well know what was going to happen.

The falcon closed her eyes and replied, "5,000 years ago, a mistake was made. We are going to go back in time, to that place, where we were in Ancient Egypt. If all goes well, we will correct the mistake and thwart the Dark One."

"Dark One?" Seto almost laughed. "It sounds like some cheesy villain from a comic book."

The falcon opened one eye and looked at him in an irritated way. "The Dark One is the very embodiment of pain, suffering, chaos. You would do well not to mock his name."

Seto shrugged lightly. "Why be afraid of something just because it's evil?"

The falcon sighed. "That's how I was brought up."

Seto gave her a sidelong glance. "Whoa. You were brought up? By who?"

She looked at him coldly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Oh, is it that person you won't talk about? The one who 'sent you' or something?"

"You're a real heartbreaker, Seto."

"Sure," he snorted. But for some reason, his pulse quickened…

"I'm going to bed," the falcon murmured sleepily. She glided gracefully to the ground and waddled off towards the spring, disappearing into the tall grass.

The group slept through the hottest part of the day and started off in early evening, when the setting sun was just beginning to paint the sky purple and pink. Fourteen made up the group: Seto, Mokuba, Yugi, Joey, Téa, Ranya, Akilah, Bakura, Marik, Meryl, Samira, Ramla, Asim and Suzuko. The long line of camels strung out across the sand, throwing larger-than-life shadows into the dying light of the desert.

After awhile you got used to the rocking motion of the camel's gait, and it became a blurred lullaby, melting into a regular rhythm, like a heartbeat or the pounding of the waves on the beach. It was almost sleep inducing, the same way that mothers rock their children to sleep in cradles. Seto found his eyelids beginning to droop. The sun had left twenty minutes ago, leaving behind a dusty purple.

Even though he had already rested, the tides of night were tugging him towards sleep. He leaned up against the camel's rough, shaggy mane and closed his eyes.

The falcon, however, was wide-awake and flying among the clouds, scanning the desert below. In the distance rose the Ashbaúdi Hills, great dark shapes blotting out the horizon. They put to mind giant beasts curled up, big as mountains, deep in eternal slumber.

And thought the group of travelers did not know it yet, but trouble was stirring in those hills, trouble with a vengeance. With every undulating stride the camels took, it brought them closer to the chaos that was about to unfold.

Chaos with gleaming red eyes that shone with the fire of mercilessness.

The falcon could feel her opponent moving, closer and closer, steeped in malice, creating a web that would trap his adversaries and reel in potential allies. He could feel her too, and was wary. Very soon, two ancient foes would meet again, forced to fight to the death. And neither one looked forward to it.

Dipping on rising air pockets, she trilled a small melody to herself, a melody of sadness, of pain that stretched across centuries, and of two enemies, restrained to either side of the great war between light and darkness; two enemies with such deep hatred for each other; and yet, two enemies who would rather be two friends.

Vaneth narrowed his eyes as the camel train came into sight. It was barely a series of yellow smudges on the rosy sand, but it was drawing closer with every passing minute.

And then came the cry that always sent shivers running down his spine… he had dreamed of that noise many a night, dreading it, and at the same time, longing for it.

The falcon's pure, piercing shriek met the sunrise, and he could see a small silver figure, its body glinting in the light. Vaneth's breath became quick and shallow. His fists clenched. _So,_ he thought. _It begins again._

"Azar!" he uttered in a sharp, guttural tone.

With a graceful, limber leap, a redhead appeared on the outcrop on which Vaneth stood. She surveyed him blankly; for behind her eyes; there was no one there. Azar stood quietly, waiting for orders.

"See the caravan in the distance there?" he said, brandishing a stiltettolike finger. "It shall be here by late afternoon. They shall make camp in the cave below this hill." He narrowed his eyes and smiled mirthlessly. "All too predictable," he scoffed. "When night falls, they will sleep. That is when you shall strike."

Azar nodded and bowed. It was as if she was on strings, a puppet, and there was a giant above her controlling her actions. "I know the rest, Master. Slay them all, and take the Millennium Items."

"Yes," breathed Vaneth. He grinned and bared his fanglike teeth, fantasizing to himself. "But leave the one with golden eyes to me."

"As you wish," said Azar, and with a flick of her cape, she was gone, climbing faster than a monkey down the steep rock face.

Vaneth put his hands behind his back and sighed contentedly. All was going according to plan. And by tomorrow morning, his greatest foe would be vanquished.

And dark would rise again.

He began to descend down the hill, to tell his mistress of the caravan's approach.

Yugi looked up at the hills, which were looming ever closer. As the sun rose behind them, their shadows retreated, but the sight of such ancient rocks, so dark and ominous, sent shivers down his spine.

He frowned. "Téa, do you see anything up on that hill? The tall one?"

Téa glanced upward and shook her head. "There's nothing there, Yugi."

"What?" asked Joey from the camel behind them. "Let me see!" He squinted, looking right into the sun's face, but saw nothing unusual. "It's just some big, spooky-looking hills."

Yugi sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'm probably so tired I'm seeing things."

But he couldn't put the thought out of his mind that there was someone up there, watching them. He was certain he had seen a shape, tall, humanoid, suspicious, looking down at them from the hill's round peak. And then it had vanished, quickly as a flash.

Yugi glanced behind him, down the line of camels. He was near the middle. Behind him was Joey, then a pack camel, Marik, and then Kaiba.

His eyes lingered on Kaiba as he considered how much his rival had changed since they came on this trip. Kaiba was quieter now. He didn't make as many snide remarks anymore. The usual air of coldness around him had faded. Why had he changed? And how?

Was he accepting his fate? They all had to if they were going to go through with this Time-Cleft thing. They would be traveling to the past, for gosh sakes! Yugi was glad Kaiba wasn't being so obstinate anymore about his destiny. And he was glad that he had Ramla to help him out.

Yet the apprehensiveness tugged at his heart…

If it failed… If something went wrong…

But he couldn't back out now. Not when people needed him. It was his destiny after all…

Nevertheless, something in the back of his mind whispered to him, a wistful thought, a wish…

A wish to be normal. To be no different than any other person. It was hard, having so much responsibility.

But he had to. He must. People's lives were at stake.

And so he would.

However grudgingly, however fearfully, however reluctantly, he had still risen to any challenge, and this one would be no different.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Without warning, clawed feet grasped his shoulder. Still groggy, Seto swatted grumpily at the falcon, who squawked irritably and jumped aside. She chose the camel's head as a safer perch.

Seto glared at her. "Don't you have someone else to bother?"

"Nope," she replied sweetly. "You're the lucky one."

He gave it up as a lost cause and put his focus on something else: the magnificent hills before them. In the rising sun they appeared to have been the canvas for a great painter's masterpiece. "So those are the Ashbaúdi hills?" he said, feeling miniscule in comparison.

The falcon bobbed her head. "And beyond those hills is Scorpion territory. Viper, also. One is hostile, and the other is relatively friendly. The Scorpions were loyal to the Pharaoh long ago," she added. Seto rolled his eyes. Everyone adored Yugi wherever he went.

"So we're going to a place full of Yugi-lovers," Seto said disgustedly.

The falcon rolled her eyes and ignored him.

They continued into the shadow of the hills until the sun was behind them, and oblong shadows danced and swayed in front of them. And then they began their ascent into the rocky waste. It was cooler in the shade of the great rock faces, and every footstep, every whisper, every breath echoed.

The trail became narrow and windy, but Seto could tell it was still being used. There were fresh boot prints in the grit that lined the stone floor, and several burn marks upon the ground that showed where campfires had been.

Strange noises were ricocheting off of the stones above them: distant squeals and screams, squeaks and growls, that sent chills down Seto's spine. They were so eerie, so otherworldly, so alien.

"Spooky, isn't it?" the falcon whispered. "Ashbaúdi means 'haunted' in Akaneben."

Seto nodded tersely. The way the hills were closing in above them was giving him the creeps. Even though it was high noon, there was a chill in the air.

Asim turned and shouted back to the entire group: "There's a cave where we'll camp tonight and tomorrow around the next bend in the trail. We'll set off for Suresh tomorrow night."

The camels pricked their ears and seemed to understand what Asim was saying, for they picked up their pace. The trail made a sharp turn, winding underneath a rock that jutted out over the path. The air was getting thinner now, and some had to take more breaths. They were very high up in altitude, so the night would be even colder.

Past the overhang, there was a dark opening in the rock that was sheltered by an overhang that looked like a mushroom-cap roof. Asim made a clucking noise followed by a sharp whistle, and all the camels sat down at once.

The group dismounted. Asim sent Suzuko and Mokuba to gather brushwood for the fire. Ramla and Samira unpacked the bags from the camels' backs and spread out blankets and pillows inside the cave to use as beds. A meager little creek ran through the rocky ground close to the cave, and Seto was given a pot and told to get some water. He left; glad to be away from the hubbub of the group.

He kneeled down by the stream and let the water run right into the pot. Looking up at the sky that was framed by rock on all sides, he thought about other things. Like, what were those noises coming from far above them? Small scrabblings, magnified a hundred times, like mice hurrying about. Something was out there. Something lived in these hills, and it made Seto nervous.

When the pot of water was full, he stood up and looked around once more before turning to leave. Nothing was out of place. But just being here made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He hurried back to the campsite, shivering. The sun was setting over the majestic hills, throwing eerie purple shadows everywhere. The fire had been lit, and a pot of something that Ramla had caught was boiling over the crackling flames. Most of them were sitting around it, talking and laughing. Seto didn't bother to join them. Instead, he found a set of natural stairs near the cave entrance that let him scale the mushroom roof. Now he was on top of one of the highest hills; it had a breathtaking view. The whole of Egypt seemed to be spread out before him like a quilt; the hills and valleys, dunes and plains, all the same tawny brown color, but painted spectacularly by the setting sun.

Letting the scene wash over him and sink in, Seto stood silently, his mind wandering and not thinking about anything specific.

Soft footsteps padded on the stone. Seto glanced behind him. Samira was standing tentatively near the top of the stairs, carrying a plate of food. The fire flickered below, a tiny star in the endless dark.

He rolled his eyes and turned away. She was _always_ following him, it seemed.

"Seto?" Samira said in a small voice. "I thought you might be… hungry. So I brought you some food." She held the plate out in front of her.

"What is it?"

"Rueshthis."

Seto's eyes bugged out. "_Weasel_ meat?" How revolting.

Samira set her chin in a stubborn way. "You should try it. It's quite good, just a little chewy."

He snorted but took the plate of food from her. Their hands touched for the briefest moment. Seto tried to ignore the tingling sensation he suddenly felt. To distract himself, he dug right into the food. It wasn't that bad, especially with the sauce that was on it.

"Do you like it?" Samira asked anxiously.

He chewed and swallowed, and nodded slowly. Samira smiled in relief. "I made it," she told him.

He shrugged and turned his back on her. "Pretty good for weasel meat," he mumbled.

Samira sighed and settled herself down on the smooth rock. "It's beautiful up here, isn't it?" she said. "The view is great."

"Mmg," he grunted through a mouthful of rueshthis.

They looked out onto the fading desert, just _being_, not talking. But Seto knew something was wrong when Samira suddenly slumped against his leg. He almost choked on the last bite of meat. Hurriedly he stepped away. Samira lay on the ground, limp, breathing softly and deeply. She was asleep.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad Samira hadn't intentionally leaned on him like that.

Stooping down, he lightly tapped her on the shoulder. "Samira," he whispered. No answer.

Seto gritted his teeth, dreading what he was going to have to do. He'd have to carry her back down to the cave. He wasn't looking forward to it.

Steeling himself, he reluctantly put one arm around her shoulders and the other beneath her legs.

"She's not really asleep, you know," said an amused voice.

Seto jumped back, one hand gripping the Millennium Rod. He squinted through the dark and almost cried out. Two glowing eyes were looking back at him.

"Sorry," apologized Asim, coming closer so Seto could see him. "I have lion eyes. They glow in the dark. It's a little unnerving."

"A little," grumped Seto. He eyed Samira. "She's not asleep?"

Asim shook his head, his bangs flopping. "She's just pretending, probably because she wanted to see how you'd react. He grinned at Seto's expression. "You don't have to carry her back to the cave. I will."

_Phew_, thought Seto. Asim lifted his sister into his arms and started off down the path. Seto followed.

The fire was almost dead. Only the wolf was sitting by the glowing coals, her tail thumping every now and then. She glanced up at them. "Did the little coquette fall asleep against you?" she asked Seto dryly.

"Now, now, Ramla, don't be rude," scolded Asim lightly. He stooped down by the fire's warm glow and gently laid Samira on a blanket. "Now I think she's really asleep," he said. "And all the better." He turned to Seto. "You should be sleeping, too." Seto nodded.

"The cave's almost full," the wolf said to Seto. "You can bed down out here. There's more space, and it's warmer." She yawned, showing her formidable fangs, and then set her head down on her paws and closed her eyes.

Asim got an extra blanket from the camels, which were all sitting down in a small group a little ways off from the fire, blinking their large black eyes. He spread it out on the other side of the fire.

Seto stretched out on it, pulling part of it over him. He stared deep into the fading light of the glowing coals, not ready to fall asleep.

Someone stumbled out of the cave. It was Yugi. "I can't sleep," he said groggily.

The wolf opened her eyes. "Bring your blanket and you can lean on me," she offered.

Yugi smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Ramla." Soon he was curled up by the fire also, his head resting on the wolf's soft, shaggy coat.

Seto suddenly felt a strange kinship with these people. No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake off the feeling that they were connected, related, somehow. Finally he let it drop, and sank like a stone into the ocean of sleep.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Azar moved like a cat, crawling and leaping gracefully and silently from stone to stone. Her eyes glowed red in the dark; she was but another shadow on the face of the earth.

Stopping, she lifted her nose to sniff the scent on the wind. Smiling, she bared her teeth. Her prey was close, very close.

She skittered sideways like a crap down the smooth rock face, the smell of flesh filling her nose. Her head spun with excitement and hunger.

There was a cave below, starkly visible in her night-vision. A dying fire still gave off a faint glow that illuminated several people sleeping around it. One of them was the one she wanted.

Making no sound, she landed lightly on the ground in front of the cave, moving quickly on all fours toward her prize. She nipped forward and grabbed him by his collar, and flung him onto her back. Now was the time to flee.

But then there was a snarl and a flash of silver, and a challenger arose, holding a sword in front of her, illuminated by her own brilliance. Silver eyes narrowed, and the girl lunged forward.

Bringing her own sword out of nowhere, the two weapons met in a harsh clang of metal. The red-haired girl, her eyes glowing demonically in the night, battled with such ferocity that she seemed almost inhuman. Ramla was a formidable fighter, but she was no match for Azar.

Eyes narrowed, grinning wickedly, Azar beat Ramla back, relentless with her lightning-fast attacks. Ramla was panting slightly, her eyelids drooping. She was weakening.

Suddenly Azar leaped backwards, Yugi still on her back, up onto the mushroom-capped rock. She turned and bared her teeth at Ramla, as if daring her to follow.

Snarling, Ramla transformed into the large silver wolf and hurled herself up onto the rock, galloping towards Azar with a blind fury. Sword flashing, Azar leapt aside and came down quickly with a brutal cross chop. Ramla barely got out of the way in time, and the sword hit the rock with a harsh grating noise, sparks flying everywhere. Dancing backward nimbly, Azar set Yugi down behind her so she would be freer to wield her sword.

Now she fought with a degree of higher fury, parrying ever attack from the now-transformed Ramla's sword, and every new blow barely blocked in time by Ramla. Ramla was good with a sword, but she was no match for the ruthless, possessed Akanep girl who fought with ferocity unmatched by anything anyone had ever seen.

Ramla was forced to transform almost every time Azar lunged forward at her, to dodge the redhead's attacks. This was obviously weakening the wolf-girl, who was panting audibly, sweat shining on her bronze skin.

Everyone was awake now. Seto was watching with kind of a transfixed horror, unable to move. Joey's eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open. Téa was trembling, fists clenched.

Asim decided it was time to intervene. Bristling, he became the great golden lion, his majestic mane fiery in the light of the glowing coals. With a roar, he leapt onto the rock towards Azar, who was now gaining the upper hand over the visibly fatigued Ramla.

Out of the corner of his eye, Seto saw Samira stir under the blankets. "What's going on?" she whispered fearfully.

Seto gestured at the battle above them. Samira gasped as she turned her head.

Azar looked about, and grinned when she saw the lion galloping towards her. She pulled out a battle-ax that was strapped to her back, and charged on the lion.

At the last second, she stepped aside, the lion skidding past her. The wolf growled and lunged. Azar jabbed out with the sword in her left hand, forcing the wolf back. At the same time she brought down the battle-ax right on the lion's back. He roared in pain, his legs buckling, and then giving way. He fell to the ground, his chest heaving, whimpering in pain.

Leaving the lion, Azar's eyes swiveled back to the wolf, which was taking a breather on the edge of the rock, panting raggedly. The whole time, Azar had managed to keep herself between the wolf and Yugi, and she wasn't about to lose that position. Lunging forward, eyes flashing murderously, not tired at all, Azar raised her sword over her head in the final blow. The wolf, eyes dull, looked up at the swiftly moving sword, but did not move.

"No!" Samira screamed. "Stop!"

Azar whipped around, her eyes searching for the speaker. She fixed her red gaze on Samira, and began to laugh. It was not a pleasant noise, more like a hacking cough than a laugh. "You think you can stop me, you lazy, spindly little weakling?" she growled in broken Arabic, her voice harsh and discordant to the ears. Samira tensed in anger. None but Samira, Asim and Ramla could understand what Azar was saying.

In one swift motion, Azar brought a bow that was strapped to her back into her hand, and nocked an arrow into it. She aimed it at the wolf. "I can kill her right now, and none of you puny, pathetic little numbskulls with be able to do anything about it." She bared her teeth, stretching the bowstring back.

"Ky'a shuresh!" came a new voice from inside the cave. Holding up his hands, palms out and empty in the Akanep gesture of peace, Marik slowly backed out of the cave, into the ring of firelight. Azar's grip on the bow suddenly weakened. She stared at Marik.

"N'lebwat, ohep lemahu," continued Marik, speaking in a soft, pacifying voice.

Azar's mouth dropped open, shocked. The glow in her eyes flickered for a second.

"She's fighting the possession," Samira whispered to Seto. "Marik is talking to her in Akanep."

"What's he saying?"

But Samira shook her head ever so slightly and put a finger to her lips.

Azar spoke to him in the same language, but the guttural tone they had heard her speak in was fading away, like an onion being peeled layer by layer.

Seto watched Yugi, who was awake now. He hadn't said a single word, which was smart of him. The wolf was talking to him in a barely audible voice, yet her tone was urgent.

Yugi nodded, his eyebrows knit together in a worried frown. But he knew what he had to do. Marik alone could not break the possession that was controlling Azar. Yugi would have to help.

"Hashuret nakakeshthis!" he spoke loudly, finding the courage to steady his trembling voice from somewhere deep within. "Te'mai'lohep, buraihek amura thiten."

A strange change suddenly came over Azar. She trembled, and dropped her sword and battle-ax to the ground, her hands limp. She crumpled, and sank to the smooth rock floor. The devilish light in her eyes suddenly was extinguished, like someone snuffing out a candle. Her eyes closed, and she saw no more.

Samira hurried up the stone steps to Azar's limp form, and tore the necklace the unconscious girl was wearing from around her neck.

"Someone was possessing her using this," she said, holding it up for all to see. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. Samira's hair shone reddish-black in the rosy light.

"Smash it," Marik said. "The Pharaoh broke the possessor's present control over her, but to free her for good, you have to destroy the amulet."

Blue fire shimmering in the palm of her hand, Samira set the amulet on the ground. She hurried over to the lion, who was bleeding profusely, the blood matting his fur.

"Seto!" she said, turning to him with worry in her eyes. "Take my blankets to the stream and wet them with water. We have to stop the bleeding."

Seto gathered up the blankets and left.

Joey and Téa hurried over to Yugi. He assured him that he was fine, just shaken.

Ramla had some cuts, but they were shallow and not serious. She bound them with strips of blankets that she cut herself with her sharp teeth.

Seto returned from the stream with the sopping blankets. He wrung them out and gave them to Samira, who wrapped them around the trembling lion. "He's lost too much blood," she said, biting her lip. "He's going to go into shock." She kneeled down beside her brother, burying her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

"Your broken wing healed in one night," Seto offered haltingly. "Won't Asim's wounds heal just as fast?"

Samira blinked away unshed tears in her eyes. "I suppose you're right," she said. She looked up at Seto apologetically. "I'm sorry for being so silly. I was just afraid that he might…" She sighed and stood up.

Ramla had smashed the amulet with her powers, and was now resting by the rekindled fire. With the help of Joey, Seto, Bakura and Marik, the sleeping lion was moved down also next to the fire, where he could recuperate in greater warmth.

Samira became the falcon and went off hunting in search of something to eat for breakfast. She soon returned clutching something dead in her bloody talons. It was another weasel, and looked almost too large for her to carry.

She made a haphazard landing, and turned into her human form again. Taking a knife from her belt, Samira expertly gutted the weasel, removing the bones and organs. Seto's stomach turned, and he looked away.

Marik had carried the unconscious Akanep girl down into the shade of the cave, and had ripped a piece of blanket and wetted it in the stream to put on her forehead. He made a pillow out of a folded blanket, and covered her with another blanket. She was resting, the blanket slowly rising and falling as she breathed. She looked completely innocent, which was extremely misleading, Seto thought, from what she had done just last night.

But she had been possessed, so it wasn't her fault, really. Was that why Marik was taking care of her like that? Because he had been possessed, too? Because he knew what it felt like, to be captured by a greater evil and used as nothing more than a tool?

And who had possessed her? Was she sent to kidnap the Pharaoh, or to kill everyone? Perhaps she would tell them more when she awoke. Seto had never been possessed before, but he thought it must be rather strenuous and tiring.

Bakura, Ranya and Akilah wanted to go on ahead to Suresh. "The sooner all the priests are together, the better," said Ranya. They took the three fastest camels, and galloped off, disappearing into the sloping rocky landscape.

The group remaining sat by the fire in the dawning sun, for the morning was still cold. The hills shielded them from most of the sunlight, so they depended on the fire for heat. Asim, Ramla and the Akanep girl dozed for most of the day, stirring occasionally, and Samira would spoon hot broth into their mouths. The Akanep did not accept any of their food, however, until Marik had a short talk with her, to convince her that the food was not poisoned.

Mokuba and Suzuko were friends by now. They went off exploring the surrounding hills. "Don't go too far," Samira called. Mokuba nodded in agreement. Suzuko cackled and zoomed off. "Wait up!" shouted Mokuba, dashing after her.

They climbed over the ridge and out of sight.

"So high up, is almost like flying!" giggled Suzuko. Mokuba grinned at her. They stood on the peak of the hill, looking down upon the desert below. Far off, smoke was rising from a small smudge on the sand. "What that?" Suzuko whispered, pointing fearfully.

Mokuba squinted. "It looks like something's on fire," he said. He took her hand and tugged her backward. "Come one, we need to tell the others." They ran back down the hill, pelted down the ridge, and almost landed on top of Samira.

"Sorry," said Mokuba. Suzuko made a little amused noise. Samira glared at her.

"We went up the hill over that ridge," said Mokuba, pointing, "and we saw this thing that had smoke rising from it, a pile of… I don't know, rubble, or something…"

"Maybe Azar knows what it is," said Marik. "She lives around here."

The Akanep girl was awake, staring at them all with reddish-orange eyes; that was apparently her natural eye color. She had been silent all morning, apart from speaking to Marik in a low voice in her native language when he asked her a question. It seemed that Marik could speak fluent Akaneben.

Her ears pricked up at the sound of her name. She asked Marik something. He chattered to her in Akaneben, presumably telling her about what Mokuba and Suzuko had seen. Her eyes hardened, and she spoke a sharp reply before standing up and holding out her unsheathed sword, apparently warning them all. She turned and left them, going in the direction of the stream.

"What did she say?" asked Yugi.

"She says," said Marik, "the smoke is from her village. It was burned down when two renegade mages revolted and gained control over the chief. She and her brother were possessed."

The lion lifted his head. "I heard about that! The twins, possessed. Yes, I remember now. The village of Hemeget." His brow was furrowed in concentration as he tried to recall it. "So that was Azar? Where's her brother?"

"I asked her about him. She wouldn't answer. He's probably still possessed," said Marik. "It's lucky we managed to free her, or we could have all been killed."

Yugi nodded. "Yes, but what did she say when she was holding her sword up?"

Marik laughed. "She said she was going to bathe, and that if anyone came near the stream, she would kill them. And I don't think she's joking either, so it's most likely not a good idea to go over there."

Azar came back twenty minutes later, wearing a clean set of clothes, wringing her long scarlet hair out and tying it into her all-purpose hairdo: two bunches tied in front of her ears, and the rest hanging down over her back, tied near the end.

She sat down cross-legged, back straight, hands on her knees. She said something to Marik, and he answered.

Marik sighed. "She wants to take back her village. She says if we strike at daybreak tomorrow, she will fight the mages, with Samira, Ramla and Asim's help. Most of the possessed people are tied up in the tents. The rest of us can free them. Then we can all ride off to Suresh."

"Sounds a lot easier than it actually might be," snorted Ramla.

"Will we have to kill anybody?" asked Seto darkly.

Joey and Téa stared at him. "Bet you'd like that, rich boy," gibed Joey.

Seto would have gotten angry. But he was different now. For some reason, Joey's angry taunts didn't bother him that much. He looked Joey square in the eye and told him solidly, "No, I wouldn't."

Joey sputtered for a moment and then fell silent, like a car engine that had just died. Téa shook her head in disgust. "Drop it, Joey."

Marik cleared his throat. "The only two people who we will actually have to do away with are the renegade mages. Then once they are dead, all who they have possessed will return to their normal states." Azar stiffened. She muttered something to him.

"Azar's brother, Zahir, is a powerful mage," he translated. "He has been possessed. Someone will have to hold him off until the other mages are incapacitated."

"I will," said Samira. "I'm the strongest."

Marik looked at her doubtfully. She glared at him. "I can fight with magic," she said stubbornly. Marik shrugged. "If you want to," he said.

Ramla blinked. "And you're just going to leave us behind? I don't think so."

"You're not strong enough," said Samira dismissively. "You and Asim should wait here."

"If that mage gets his hands on you, he can snap your bones like twigs," snapped Ramla heatedly. Samira made a small growling noise. She gave Ramla a withering look and slunk off sullenly, over the hill and out of sight, leaving a sour atmosphere behind her.

"Sore loser," muttered Ramla.

As the sun progressed across the sky, the group scattered. Suzuko and Mokuba led Yugi, Téa and Joey to the place where they had seen the ruins of Hemeget. Ramla and the lion rested by the fireside. Meryl went off to the stream to wash the dishes, and Marik packed up the camels. Azar skulked about the cave, staring out with her eerie red eyes and not making a sound.

Restless, Seto decided to explore the hills a little. He hoped he wouldn't run into Yugi.

Leaving the hollow and the campsite, he found a small path that curved through the hills, winding and bending. It began to get steeper, and soon Seto was out of breath. After awhile he left the hills behind and found himself on what seemed to be the tallest hill of all. It jutted above and beyond into the open sky. Below him the hills resembled a crumpled quilt, striped different shades of brown and black.

Breathing the crisp, clear air, he rounded the crest of the hill and stopped short. Sitting on the edge of the cliff was Samira, looking out onto the panorama.

Tentatively, he took several steps forward. She stirred and turned her head. "Oh," she said. "It's you."

Apparently she didn't object to his being there, so he came and sat down beside her-- still putting considerable distance between them, of course.

Samira looked downward, eyebrows drawn together in a frown. Her fists were clenched, and slightly shaking, Seto noticed. "I didn't ask to be a falcon," she mumbled.

Seto was surprised. "You mean, you weren't born like this?"

Samira shook her head. She was now in the process of furiously wringing a corner of her cape.

"So, someone gave you the ability to… become a falcon, and have powers, and so your bones became hollow?"

She nodded miserably and hugged her knees to her chest, hiding her face.

"But if your bones are hollow, you can't fight," Seto pointed out, then realized a moment too late this was probably the worst thing he could have said.

Samira lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Exactly," she said, gritting her teeth. "Everyone thinks I'm weaker. I'm good for nothing, once my magic runs out. Useless. Worthless." She spat the words out at him crossly. Seething, she got up to leave.

"Wait," said Seto, plainly shocked. "I…"

She stopped and looked back at him, raising one eyebrow, still hurt.

"I… didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry, all right?" he said angrily.

Slowly, Samira sat down again, keeping her eyes fixed on his face. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something else.

Seto blinked. Samira looked at him expectantly.

He stared at her blankly, and then hurriedly cast about for something to say. Finally he came up with, "Um, I uh… hope you feel better."

Fresh tears filled Samira's eyes as she smiled at him. "Thank you, Seto," she hiccupped.

Seto edged away. "Don't get all weepy on me," he warned her sharply.

Samira bit her lip and giggled, wiping the tears off of her face. "I won't," she assured him. She glanced at the sun and gave a little start. "We have to be getting back now so I can make dinner," she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "Come on!"

Even Seto had to take longer strides to keep up with her. She seemed to suddenly be filled with boundless energy again. He sighed inwardly.

Everyone was getting tired of rueshthis, so Samira made a stew out of the broth, with bits of dried meat from their provisions, and vegetables that Suzuko and Mokuba had gathered. Azar still wasn't eating.

Marik ladled up another bowl and entered the cave. The fire outside cast wavering shadows on the walls, which were brightly painted with the colors of the setting sun's rays. Azar stirred and shrunk back as he came closer to her. She made a snarling noise, daring him to come closer.

"I'm not trying to bother you," he told her in Akaneben, ever patient. "I'm just bringing you some food."

"I'm not hungry," Azar growled, though her eyes flickered between the bowl and Marik's face. Marik sat cross-legged beside her on the smooth cave floor, putting the bowl out in front of her. She turned her face away.

"Azar," Marik persisted, "You have to eat. You can't fight on an empty stomach."

"Watch me," Azar said nastily. "I've gone without food for weeks at a time."

"Yes, you have," said Marik patiently, "But you need to eat this stew now. You're still weak from being possessed."

Azar's gaze turned murderous, and she tensed like a coil ready to spring out of its spiral and strike Marik. "What do you know about being possessed?" she snarled, her lip curling.

"A lot," Marik told her. "I was possessed for more than half of my life. I know what it's like."

Azar stopped in mid-snarl, gaping at him.

"I did a lot of bad things while I was possessed," Marik continued. "I sent people to the Shadow Realm. I killed people. I tore friends apart, turned them against each other. The Pharaoh saved me. He defeated me in a duel, and I was delivered from my own evil." Marik's piercing gaze bored into Azar. She lowered her head. "I know what it's like. And I also know that you need to eat this. You're starving yourself." He nudged the bowl towards her, so that its steamy aroma wafted up to her nose. "I care about you, Azar," he whispered. "Please eat."

Azar's mask of hostility dropped for that instant, that fleeting second, and Marik saw what was underneath. She was shocked, still wary, and apologetic. But beneath that, there was a person, a frightened girl who needed a friend.

As quickly as the revelation had come, it left again, as Azar regained her usual prickly composure. Grudgingly she picked up the bowl and brought it to her mouth. Marik handed her the spoon. Azar snatched it from him, glaring. "I can take care of myself," she grumbled, but Marik smiled knowingly. He got up and left the cave.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Asim's wounds had scabbed over and were looking much better that evening, but he was still not strong enough to do battle with two deranged mages. Ramla, however, was very ready, as she polished her sword and fletched a fresh set of arrows. Ramla and Samira did not speak to each other at all that evening, but the rift between them had died down.

Around the fire, crackling merrily, Asim told stories of grave robbers and bandits, while most of the group listened. Azar, however, was skulking somewhere just beyond the ring of firelight, brooding. Seto almost tripped over her. Stumbling back, he apologized profusely, a little afraid of Azar's rage. But to his surprise, she prostrated herself at his feet, mumbling in Late Upper Egyptian. And he could understand her.

She looked up at him. Her eyes glowed red in the moonlight. "Tell the falcon," she told him with urgency, "that the vulture still lurks. He is the one that helped Agmak and Darep usurp Ikraam. Tell the falcon that he is still here. He hides unseen, riding on the shoulder of his mistress. Tell the falcon, Rebhek. Tell her." And with that, she melted back into the shadows, gone from sight.

Seto realized how hard his heart was beating. What had Azar been talking about? The vulture? Who was the vulture? He decided to go to Samira right away and tell her what he had seen. He hurried back to the camp, and caught Samira's eye, beckoning urgently. She excused herself from the fireside and hurried over to him. She saw the worry in his eyes. "What is it?" she whispered.

He relayed to her everything that Azar had told him. Her eyes grew wide. "Vaneth…" she breathed, her gaze darkening. "Vaneth is behind all this… So, he and his little friend Firza are prowling about the Ashbaúdi. Without question they are angry at their plan being foiled. They will strike again, allied with the Renunep, no doubt." Frowning, she hastened over to her siblings and told them this information in hushed tones. Their voices became grim and secretive.

Seto only understood about half of what Samira had just said. Shaking his head slightly, he sat down on a rock a little ways away from the fire. Mokuba was curled up against the lion's mane, and Yugi was using the wolf as a pillow again. Samira and Suzuko were bickering, while Téa and Meryl chatted quietly.

He wondered who Vaneth was. He had heard Marik and Samira talking about this Vaneth person back in Mendu's inn. Whoever Vaneth was, he didn't seem like a very good person. So he had helped… what were their names now… Agmak and Darep, the two renegade mages, take over Hemeget? And he had possessed Azar and Zahir? He was going to ally with the Vipers? Seto shivered and glanced around him, hoping that Vaneth wasn't anywhere nearby.

And who was Firza?

"Sorry for leaving you in the dark," apologized Samira, who was now sitting to his left. He jumped; he hadn't seen her come over here. She grinned. "So, you ready for tomorrow?"

"Yeah," said Seto, "but what do I exactly… do?" He sighed. "I don't want to kill anybody."

Samira nodded. "I know how you feel. I don't like it either. Well, tomorrow you can come with us down to Hemeget, and while I hold off Zahir, and Ramla and Azar take care of the mages, you can help revive and untie those in the tents."

"Right." Seto yawned; the group was leaving the fireside to get ready for bed. He took some extra clothes and went to bathe in the rock pool where the stream collected. Feeling fresh and clean, he returned to the campsite and remade his bed next to the fire. Ramla was banking the coals so that the fire would burn longer but at a smaller size.

Samira knelt down next to Ramla, shaking out her own blankets and burrowing into them, making a nest for herself. She sighed contentedly and closer her eyes.

"Get some rest, little sister," said Ramla in Late Upper Egyptian. "You'll need it for your little playdate with Zahir tomorrow." Azar, who was walking by, cuffed Ramla painfully on the shoulder. Ramla snarled. Azar and Samira both chuckled.

The talked died down, and a full moon rose over the desert. Soon there was silence, except for the distant burbling of the stream. Seto strained his ears for the sound of a cloak swishing, or muffled footsteps on the ground. But there was nothing. Willing himself to stop being so apprehensive and fearful, he turned over so that his back was to the cavernous night that was closing in about them.

He stared into the flickering coals, which were white-hot and making little popping noises as sparks rose from the dying fire into the sky to blend in with the stars. Glancing around the circle, he saw that Yugi was fast asleep, his breathing slow and deep, as he lay curled up against the wolf's soft, shaggy back. The lion was far off in dreamland also as he rested his head on his huge paws, his mouth slightly open.

And, directly across the fire, Samira's eyes were wide open, and looking right at him.

Their eyes locked, and for that brief moment, something was transferred between them; a silent message, understood by both. This meaningful communication was suddenly punctuated by a loud _pop!_ from the fire. Samira blinked, and her eyes crinkled in a silent laugh. She winked at him, her eyes twinkling, and turned over, burying herself in her blankets so that nothing of her was visible.

Wondering what that was all about, Seto found his eyelids growing heavy. Without further ado, he let his eyes close as he dropped into slumber.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Meryl's eyesight was getting worse by the day. Shapes were becoming fuzzy around the edges, like melting ice cream. She was becoming more and more dependent on her sixth sense. She felt weak, crippled, lost. Blind.

Early that morning, Azar rode into camp on a huge, brawny bear of a horse, a giant black breed with a blaze on his forehead. She had snuck down to Hemeget's smoky ruins during the night and stolen him from right under the mages' noses. His name was Káizahur, which meant "skull shatterer" in Akanep. Indeed, this horse looked quite capable of homicide. His eyes flashed, burning brightly in his coal-black face like two stars in the night sky. She said she had broken him herself, and had been riding him since she was ten, which was the year she killed her first Viper. It was a little sad how Scorpions and Vipers considered each other to be a subspecies that was brutish, inferior and dangerous.

Meryl decided to stay behind while the others went to take back Hemeget. She would rather not kill anyone, a sharp contrast to Azar and Ramla, who were itching to put their swords to use.

She wished the others luck, and took the stack of breakfast dishes down to the stream to wash them. When she came back, the lion was still dozing by the fire. She was wary of him, and his shape-shifting abilities unnerved her. He was nice when he was a human, but when he was a lion, it made Meryl jumpy.

Loading her pistol, Meryl trotted down, away from the campsite, then crouched down, crawling silently at ground level, scanning her surroundings. She soon found some scuffmarks on a rock, and not far away, some droppings left by a small animal. Something was living here; something that might be good to eat.

Sitting down cross-legged, leaning up against the smooth rock face, she waited. She was in a small hollow created by several jutting rocks. There was an overhang and a small cave, too small for her to fit into, and a large rock wall rising away skyward. She kept her eyes fixed on the cave.

Sure enough, about five minutes later, two small, beady eyes were staring at her from underneath the dark overhang. There was a small scuffling noise, and a little fuzzy face poked its head out cautiously. It was a bird of some kind, with a little pointed beak and a round feathery body.

It blinked at her and scuttled out, peeping bravely. It was followed closely by three others like it, small baby birds with no fear in their eyes. They looked up at Meryl curiously.

She coaxed one into the palm of her hand. It wriggled and peeped when she scooped it up, but she cupped it in both hands and brought it up to eye level. The little bird froze and stared at her with one beady eye. She smiled.

And then the notion of killing something for food was gone. Meryl knew that she could never harm one of these baby birds. Gently she set the chick down, and it scurried back into the cave, peeping indignantly, closely followed by its siblings.

She bent down to peer into the cave. It smelled slightly of dung and dry grass. There were rustling noises as the birds rearranged themselves, peeking out at her warily.

And sure enough, there were several piles of grass near the back of the cave. In these piles rested several shiny white orbs that gleamed in the thin bands of light that reached into the darkness. Eggs.

Excitement rising, Meryl reached into the cave to grab an egg. She was promptly rebuffed by a small but sharp peck on the back of her hand. Stifling a cry, she quickly withdrew her hand and inspected it. Small pinpricks of blood dotted it; but she brushed this off and stuck her hand back into the cave, determined to get some eggs.

Several minutes and many stinging pecks later, Meryl had gathered ten or so eggs and wrapped them carefully in her cloak. She trod lightly back to the campsite, making sure not to jar her precious cargo. Eggs! She had found food! A sudden sense of pride filled her, but she brushed it away. It wasn't that big of a deal, after all. She didn't even have enough backbone to kill something, anyway…

But, she had to admit to herself, the eggs were a pretty good find.

She kneeled down beside the fire, keeping one wary eye on the dozing lion. Meryl stoked the coals with a stick and it flared to life. She cracked the eggs into a frying pan and set it on the fire; the yolks were slightly tinged green. She hoped it wouldn't affect the taste.

After the eggs were fried, Meryl covered them with a cloth to hold the heat in and set the pan aside. The lion's nose twitched at the aroma of food. He opened one eye.

Then suddenly there was a bright flash of color, and Asim was sitting up, looking eagerly at the pan full of eggs.

Meryl glanced at him nervously, unsure of what to do. She unconsciously set her hand on the gun holster.

"I won't even come near you, so you can put that away," Asim said pointedly. Meryl blushed furiously, ducking so that her hair covered her face. She heard Asim sigh and shift his position. "So now that you know I'm a lion," he recited in a bored voice, "you're afraid of me."

Turning bright red, she didn't reply. She could feel Asim's steady gaze burning into her. "I- I- I'm sorry," she stammered, "I just… never met anyone who could t-turn into a lion before…"

"Rest assured, miss, that despite my lion-like qualities, which include fangs and eyes that glow in the dark, I really am quite nice."

Meryl smiled in spite of herself. Asim was so whimsical. "I know you are," she told him. He grinned at her. Her heart skipped a beat. _Control yourself_, she told herself sternly. "So, would you like some eggs?" she asked.

Asim nodded fervently. "Yes, please."

She dished up two eggs on each plate and handed one to him. The eggs were devoured in ten seconds flat. "Mmmm," Asim said appreciatively through a full mouth. He swallowed and said, "Where did you find these?"

"A little ways away, in a small canyon," replied Meryl, cutting her eggs up into smaller pieces. "I found some scratch marks on a rock, and a small cave. There were these little birds, baby chicks, and they were the cutest things ever. I reached in and got some eggs, but the birds managed to give me a few good pecks." She showed him the cuts on her hands.

Asim raised his eyebrows, and without warning he took her hands in his. Meryl's breath caught in her throat. He inspected the cuts, and after a moment's thought, several red-orange sparks flew from his fingertips, dancing around the cuts, and sinking into the skin. And then it was whole; the scabs and the redness disappeared with no trace of ever being there. There was a funny tingling sensation. Meryl gasped as she saw the peck-marks vanish right before her eyes. She noticed how firm and warm Asim's hands were.

"There," said Asim approvingly. "That's better." He let go of her hands. Meryl felt another blush rising to her cheeks.

"Th-thank you," she stammered, "but how did you do that?"

"Healing magic," explained Asim. "I'm the special one in the family."

"So your sisters have different kinds of magic?" asked Meryl. _I think I'm getting the hang of this conversation thing. _Her hands still felt warm from when Asim had been holding them.

Asim nodded. "Samira can see into people's pasts and futures, though personally I think that's nosy. Ramla can navigate the Shadow Realm, which I think is slightly unnerving. Their powers aren't as everyday as mine are, so I use mine more." He smiled at her. "Your hands feeling okay now?" Meryl nodded, ducking down to hide another blush, and began to eat her eggs.

They ate in silence, listening to the peaceful morning stillness of the desert around them. Then there was a sudden flurry of scuffling and footsteps, and Suzuko and Mokuba came tumbling over the cliff. Suzuko took one look at the food and began to screech distraughtly. "Eggs?" she screamed. "You is eating eggs! How sick and disgusting!" She was about to throw herself at the plate of eggs, but Mokuba grabbed her and held her back.

"So the sparrow brat returns," said Asim, amused. "Tell me, where were you two?"

"We were—seeing the others—off—" Mokuba grunted, struggling to keep Suzuko restrained. "They're probably at Hemeget by now." His brow furrowed in silent worry.

Asim rose to his feet and swiftly stepped forward, grabbing Suzuko by the back of her shirt and lifting her into the air so they were eye level. "You leave my food alone, and I'll leave you alone. Got it?"

She froze in midair, eyes wide. "Yes, sir."

"I'm glad that's understood." He set her back on the ground, and his dark mood was shed as soon as it had come. He sat back down beside the fire and gestured for Suzuko and Mokuba to do the same. Suzuko would not touch the eggs; she ate some dried provisions from the camel's packs instead.

Together they sat around the fire, waiting; fear was stirring in their hearts. For not far away, a great battle was about to begin.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Azar led the way, bent into the wind on the back of her galloping horse, red hair flying out behind her. Seto had thought riding on a camel was bad enough, but riding on a galloping camel was even worse. Now it was like being in a rowboat in the middle of a hurricane. Seto held on for dear life as his camel rollicked and rolled across the sea of the desert.

Téa and Joey had refused to stay behind, so they were tagging along behind Yugi. The falcon was coasting above on the updrafts, a mere smudge in the starkly clear blue sky. Ramla rode tall and proud on her camel like an ancient queen. If she had any fears about the upcoming skirmish, she did not show them. Marik seemed to be accustomed to riding on camels; he wasn't concentrating on holding onto the reins as Seto was; he was zoned out in his own little world.

The smoking ruins of Hemeget were hidden by several sloping dunes. As the group rounded the crest of the last dune, many of them drew their breath in sharply.

It had once been a proud city of spacious tents with colorful flags, fruit-bearing trees and stone-lined pathways. Now it was charred rubble, with most of the tents torn down and trampled. Some of them looked as if they had been exploded. Large black scorch marks scarred the ground. Trees were reduced to ashes, some of the surviving branches still on fire. Rocks were scattered everywhere, along with miscellaneous items like cooking pots and even a child's doll. It made a sudden stab of pain shoot through Seto's heart. He wondered who could do such a cruel and destructive thing. Who had the doll belonged to? Were they still alive?

Only three or four large tents were still standing. What might be inside them made a shiver of fright run down Seto's spine.

Azar turned to them all. There was deep pain etched in her face, as much as she tried to hide it. She made a small speech in Akaneben, and her voice was surprisingly soft and meek now for someone who looked so angry.

"She says to use extreme caution," translated Marik. "All three mages can shield themselves so they are invisible to our eyes. They could be standing right behind us right now, and we wouldn't know until it was too late." Several of them looked around fearfully. "We will ride down slowly into the valley, and Azar will issue a challenge. Hopefully they will show themselves right away, and Ramla, Azar and Samira can hold them off while the rest of us free the ones in the tents."

Azar frowned and added something. "She's wondering how the whole village can fit into four tents," said Marik, frowning. He shrugged. "Well, I guess we'll find out."

It seemed a bizarrely carefree statement considering the situation.

The group descended silently down the sand dune. Even the camels seemed to know that something was up, and they didn't snort or snuffle the whole way. Tension hung in the air like a stretched rubber band.

They entered the village boundary, the camels and horse stepping delicately over the bits of burnt rubble. The only noises were the soft hoof beats of the animals and the bated breaths of their riders. All else was silent. Smoke curled into the air, burning their nostrils and lungs.

Azar abruptly halted Skull-Shatterer, and the camels stopped also. She sat up straighter in the saddle and began to speak in a harsh, commanding, almost jeering voice. When her statement was over, she seemed to relax, barely moving, waiting for a reply.

There was nothing except the flicker of flame and the lazy wisps of smoke drifting into the sky.

Seto didn't know how much longer he could take this. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as a light breeze suddenly stirred through the air. His muscles tensed and adrenaline pumped through his blood as he prepared to flee.

Suddenly there was a blinding red flash of light, and Seto's eardrums seared as a huge booming crack split the stillness with its piercing, thunderous racket. His heart was beating double time; it seemed that a bolt of lightning had struck no more than four feet away. He was seeing spots; the scene was wavering before his eyes. And then came an answering flash, blue this time, and the scream of a falcon returned the challenge. Shouting a war cry, Azar lept off of her horse, her long deadly sword flashing in the sunlight. With a clang it met the blade of another person, a hooded human with a thick broadsword. His eyes gleamed in the recess of his hood. Magical fire crackled in his other hand; he was holding the broadsword one-handed.

Samira was protecting herself with a blue force field; she was battling a man with long red hair tied back in a horsetail. His eyes gleamed a bright demonic red; he was possessed. This must be Azar's brother. He was constantly barraging Samira's shield with a steady stream of red fire, but she was holding him back well.

Ramla blocked a blast from one of the renegades, and turned to shout, "Go to the tents now, while we have them distracted!" Her voice was barely heard above the din, with the raucous crackling of fire and the explosions of mage battle.

Seto tugged on the reins of his camel and urged it to move. Grunting reluctantly, seemingly oblivious to the chaos that was going on around them, the camel began to move agonizingly slowly towards the tents. But they had to get past the mages first. Azar had gutted her mage in ten seconds flat (he apparently wasn't very nimble). The dead mage was now lying on the sand in a pool of his own blood, with Azar standing over him triumphantly. Ramla was creating a wall of ice around her mage, and try as he might to melt it; he was slowly becoming impeded by the constant barrier all around him. Samira was trying to tire Zahir out now by dodging all of his blasts.

The camels made a wide arc around the battle, which was almost over by now. Ramla had killed the mage she was battling, but Samira was still having trouble with Zahir. He seemed to be the most powerful of the three, and had an almost endless store of energy. His red eyes were narrowed in concentration as he shot blast after blast at Samira. He was tall and muscular, yet limber, and a sword hung from his belt, although he did not use it.

Samira conjured a ball of blue fire and sent it shooting toward Zahir. Breathing heavily, he dodged it, but instead of answering back with a blast of fire of his own, he whipped around unexpectedly, holding his hands high above his head. A magical fire twelve feet tall suddenly shot up from his gloved palms. With a victorious shout, he deployed it straight toward the first tent. Azar screamed, but it was nearly inaudible over the roaring of the fire. It was like ten jumbo jets igniting their engines all at the same time.

What if there were people in that tent? Helpless, tied up, and about to be burned to death… the air wavered in a haze of heat… it was like looking through water… death loomed on the edge of the atmosphere, waiting to strike…

And then Seto raised the Millennium Rod, instantly finding the core of power, uncoiling it, but this time he did not flick it like a whip; he made a solid sheet of it, and sent it flying toward the tent… it spread out across the way, shimmering and twinkling… and the fire slammed into it full force and bounced back off. A rushing, thudding pain suddenly rose to the surface; his heart pounded in his ears and his blood rushed to his stomach… it felt like he had been socked in the gut by a heavy boot. In slow motion, he crumpled, falling off of the camel, sinking to the sand, bent over in agony, clutching at his aching stomach; the pain became too much and the blackness closed in over his eyes.

Far above him, someone was calling his name. The pain had faded to a dull ache that throbbed like a drumbeat.

There was a light touch on his shoulder, and the voice called him again. Spiraling up to consciousness, he reluctantly opened his eyes.

He was sprawled out on his side, lying on the sand. Samira was kneeling beside him. Their eyes met. "You saved the tent, Seto," she said, with a distinct note of pride in her voice. "Zahir is being revived right now. Just lie here and rest for a little bit."

But he sat up determinedly, ignoring the muted ache in his gut. "How is Zahir suddenly on the ground?"

"His magical blast rebounded on him when you conjured the shield with the Millennium Rod," Samira explained.

"Why does it _hurt _so much?" Seto demanded, grimacing at the pain.

"It seems that you put some of… _yourself_… into the power of the Rod," Samira mused, frowning as she thought.

"Right. Whatever." Had he really blocked the fire from destroying the tent?

All four tents were there. Téa, Joey, Marik and Yugi were helping to untie and reawaken the captives. All of the Hemegetians had red hair and wore clothes similar to Azar's. Even the tiny two-year old had a wooden sword strapped to his belt. All of them looked around at their ruined village with expressions of guarded sorrow. Even the children did not completely reveal their emotions. Seto wondered at this.

He painstakingly got to his feet and stretched. Samira was watching Ramla and Azar, who were attending to Zahir. His eyes were open and were identical to Azar's, except they twinkled with a hidden laughter that Seto had not seen in any of the other Scorpions. He wore a leather jerkin over a gray tunic, with brown leggings and knee-high leather boots. He had armguards on both arms, and a quiver full of arrows was strapped to his back, along with a short bow. Ramla was giving him a drink from her water flask. He sat up, yawned, and Azar immediately began jabbering away a mile a minute in Akaneben. Getting to her feet, Ramla trotted over to Samira and Seto. "We should let them talk," she said. "They've got a lot of catching up to do."

In fact, the whole village was crowding around the twins, smiling and sighing with relief. But there was something wrong. Why were there only adults and toddlers? There seemed to be a missing generation: where were the kids and teenagers?

Seto expressed this thought quietly to Samira. She bit her lip and shook her head. "I hope they weren't killed," she whispered worriedly. Seto shuddered inwardly; who would be evil enough to kill a child?

Samira waded through the group of Scorpions, and indeed, looks of panic were beginning to show on their faces as they realized who was missing from their midst. Samira relayed Seto's observation to Azar, who suddenly stood up with a loud expletive and a look of pure venom on her face. Looks of rage took hold of the adults' faces. Baring their teeth, they scanned around for something, but whatever it was, it wasn't there.

Suddenly appearing at his side again with a terrified look on her face, Samira whispered in his ear, "The Renunep village has raided Hemeget and taken the children hostage."

"Why would they do that?" _How disgusting._

"Child traffickers," said Samira in hushed tones of fright. "They capture children and sell them to slavers."

"What?" said Seto incredulously. "That's sick."

"I know." Samira nodded. "We have to get horses and ride to the Renunep village to get them back."

"I don't see any horses."

But Azar was mounting Skull-Shatterer. With one last short statement, she set off at a gallop back toward the hills.

"She says her horse will trace his kin," translated Marik skeptically.

"What's that mean?" asked Joey.

"It means that the horse is going to find the other horses, Joey," Téa sighed.

"Ohhhhh," said Joey.

"All we can do now is wait," said Ramla calmly, sitting down cross-legged on a piece of sand free of rubble.

The Scorpions held a short council and decided that they would pack up and move to the larger city of Suresh, since their village was destroyed. It was unsafe living so near the Ashbaúdi hills anyhow. The adults proceeded to pack up the tents, and it was interesting to watch. Each tent was about twelve feet tall at its peak, and cone-shaped like a teepee. The poles were made of long, debarked, polished branches that Marik said had to be hauled from twenty miles away, since trees were scarce as water in the desert. To dissemble a tent, the outer covering of animal skins was unwrapped from the skeletal wooden frame, and rolled up like a rug. Then the poles, which were tied at the top to form the peak of the cone, were taken down and bundled together like firewood. Soon four neat tent-bundles sat on the ground, waiting to be transported.

Instead of pacing around nervously, the Scorpions set their minds to tasks like clearing away the debris, and packing up their few remaining belongings. Samira was content to watch the littlest ones, who sat beside her on the ground, staring around at their ruined village with wide, wondering eyes.

Zahir had sat down next to Ramla and they were talking in low, furtive voices, their faces betraying nothing of their conversation.

Seto wondered at the fact that there was not sadness in the eyes of the Akanep adults as they looked at their village, as much as there was a pure, red-hot hatred and a lust for revenge.

From where had such loathing come?


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The sun was beginning to dip down toward the horizon, and Meryl was starting to worry. There was no word from the advance guard, and she wondered if something had happened to them. The thought made her stomach twist. When Asim asked why she was anxious, she hesitantly told him. He looked around the camp for inspiration, and his eyes gleamed suddenly as they alighted on Suzuko, who was stuffing her face with dried figs.

"Sparrow-girl," he barked. "Can you become a bird again?"

Suzuko swallowed and eyed him warily. "Why you want to know?"

"I need you to fly over to the rest of the group and see what's happening," Asim explained. "You're the fastest way."

"I see," said Suzuko thoughtfully. "So if I do this, then you give me something."

"I'm doing you a huge favor just by not turning you back into a sparrow," said Asim roughly.

Suzuko pouted. "Fine, sour face. I be a sparrow and fly to the rest of the fools off there. Then what?"

"Tell them to send up a signal for us to come," said Asim.

"Righty-o."

There was suddenly a blinding flash of light, and a little sparrow blinked up at them from the spot Suzuko had just been standing.

Mokuba rubbed his eyes, grimacing in pain. "Could you warn me before you do that again?" he moaned. The sparrow just twittered mockingly and fluttered off, gone from sight over the rock cliffs.

The next few hours flashed past, a blur in Seto's memory. Not more than two hours later, Azar came back from the hills with a herd of stampeding steeds behind her, stirring up dust with their dinner-plate-sized hooves and snorting like train locomotives. The newcomers were amazed by the horses' sheer size and power, muscles rippling beneath their gleaming coats. The Akaneben made murmurs of pleasure and quickly saddled up their recovered mounts, packing up the fragments of their ruined village with astonishing efficiency.

The trees shaded the group from the scorching heat; they rested lethargically, too tired to move or do anything else. It was not until a small brown figure soared into view that there was any activity. It came in closer, tweeting madly, and seemed to be out of practice in the art of flying, for it did not land until a rather thorny bush broke its fall.

To everyone's surprise, a small, red-haired girl came crawling out of the bush, spitting and hissing madly like an angry cat. Her clothes were torn and she was in the process of removing thorns from her skin. "Dammmit," she mumbled, brushing herself off. _Oh, great_, Seto thought, as Suzuko straightened up and surveyed them all shrewdly. "I bring message from the great lion fool," she announced in Japanese. The Akanep were starting at her with a sort of preoccupied fascination. "He want know how all you are do, but I see you is alive. Also want you send up for a signal." She finished her botched message and took a haughty bow, plopping down onto the ground.

There was a moment of slightly awed and shocked silence. Then Ramla said with just a hint of amusement in her voice, "Very well, then." She got to her feet and raised her hands above her head, conjuring a sphere of crackling purple fire. She sent it skyward, and it shot up like a rocket, spiraling and shimmering, and then it was coiling itself like some gigantic snake until it was the unmistakable shape of a wolf's head, complete with two purple jewels for eyes. It gleamed in the sky like a great beacon, and they stared up at it in awe. Then, from far away in the hills came an answering signal, a crackling red rope that twisted into kind of an oblong shape that Seto could see was supposed to be a lion's head, although it was only a very vague resemblance. Ramla smirked. "Asim was never one for art," she remarked. "Anyhow, the stragglers should be arriving soon."

They were soon relieved from the heat as the sun began to sink and the sky began to dim. Samira started a fire, and Azar returned with some roots and leaves to add to the stew. When it was done it was ladled into bowls and passed around, and the crew dug in.

A.N.: I am not one for describing eating scenes so I think I'll shut up before it gets any worse.

Before the sun had set completely, the three travelers were seen silhouetted against the night as the camels sauntered onward. Mokuba nearly fell off the camel in his effort to get to his brother. Seto, who was in the action of putting a spoonful of stew into his mouth, nearly spilled it all over himself when Mokuba bowled him over in a hug. Several people hid smiles.

As the brothers were sharing some brotherly love (however grudgingly), Asim helped Meryl down from her camel and they came to the fireside.

Azar said now was the best time to travel and they should get a head start, so as soon as the stragglers were finished eating, everyone remounted and the now rather large group headed out into the desert night, the starts twinkling above them.

As they rode, Seto tried to remember how many days he had been at this, but it was impossible. Everything was starting to blur together in his memory like paints mixing on a canvas…

He felt himself sinking into sleep, but did not try to stop it. He was jerked back awake suddenly when he felt a pressure on his shoulder. "The Akanep are going to raid the Renunep village," the falcon whispered in his ear. "We're almost there. You can hang back or come along."

"Is it safe?" asked Seto, still groggy. He blinked, and his fuzzy vision cleared. All around him in the dim moonlight were the outlines of the Akanep riders, grouping and talking in low, tense voices. A little ways off from the dune on which they stood was what looked like a camp, for Seto could see the hulking shapes of many tents, and the feathery shapes of leaves and their tall, limber trunks. The lights of burning torches flickered from the camp, and a hazy smoke drifted upwards from somewhere in its center. It was the Renunep village.

"Those who can't fight are waiting here," she replied. "You have the Millennium Rod, so if you wanted to come, you could help the Akanep get their children back."

"But won't the Vipers have… swords, and arrows and things?" Seto said uncertainly.

"Yes, but all you have to do is ride in and rescue a child. You might not even have to fight anyone. Trust me, the Akanep are superb fighters. You can help them out by blasting Vipers with the Rod."

"…All right then," said Seto, hiding his nervousness. He had never been in a real battle before. Well, there was always a first time.

Azar, who was at the head of the group, gave a command, and the riders began to move out.

The falcon clicked her beak and the camel kneeled so Seto could dismount. "There's a horse over there," said the falcon. "Mount it from the right side. Put your right foot in the stirrup and swing over. Hold the reins tight. Don't worry, the horse will listen to me, so I don't think it will do anything dangerous."

Her words were somewhat comforting, but as Seto approached the horse his anxiety grew tenfold. As he stood beside it, it snorted and turned its head and ears toward him, as if to size him up. Nervously he took the reins, stepped into the right stirrup, and swung his left leg over to the other side. The horse shifted its weight suddenly, and Seto nearly fell off. "Don't be scared," said the falcon. "She can sense it when you're frightened. Now, hold the reins firmly, and try to move with the horse. That way you'll bounce less."

At some undetectable signal, the horse suddenly began to move forward, and Seto hung on for dear life. It took him several minutes to get used to the rocky bouncing of the horse's trot. They were so high off the ground… he could see the Akanep up ahead, moving fluidly and carefully like liquid shadow toward the Renunep camp.

"I'm going to move her into a canter," whispered the falcon. "Just relax and lean into the horse's movements."

It was easier said than done. Seto felt like someone was shaking him up and down; his brain was jarred and his legs were sore. After about ten minutes of this beastliness that was called "cantering", the falcon finally moved the horse into a full-blown gallop. Seto gave up trying to move with the horse and flung his arms around the horse's neck, praying that he wouldn't fall off. The air whistled past, and the mane of the horse whipped out, her tail streaming behind her like a black flag. Seto caught up with the Akanep and was happy to bring his mount back to a trot. Silently they advanced toward the now-near village. Shouts and unearthly trills and screams could be heard. They made shivers run down his spine.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

There were thirty-two captives in all, ranging from the ages of eight to eighteen. They sat around the fire, bound and gagged, while the narrow-eyed guards kept watch. The firelight made their red hair shimmer and seem as though it was afire. But their eyes were dull and hopeless, and their faces bore bruises given to them by their captors.

The festival celebrating the successful raid on the Akanep village was about to begin. Soon the village people would arrive, dressed in all their finery, and the dancing and feasting would start. The chief would then choose one from among the thirty-two children to add to his collection of slaves. The rest would be taken away to spend the night in the cramped, dirty slave tent, before they were carted off the next day by the slave traders.

One girl, however, was not slumped in despair like the others. Her eyes still shone bright and clear, they were the eyes of a clever mind; and they darted back and forth over her surroundings as she sought an escape route. She wore simple garments consisting of a tunic, long-sleeved undershirt and leggings just like all the others, but she was different. She was Liyah Akanem, a Scorpion princess, daughter of the late chief Arathak; and younger sister of Azar and Zahir Akanem. At just twelve years old, she was the prettiest girl in the whole tribe, and clever to boot. In her heart she knew that her tribe would not leave her and the rest of the captives here to be sold; but a worrisome thought gnawed at her like a termite: what if they were all dead? What if no one was coming to rescue them? Her head and heart quarreled, clouding her mind, and she was soon sick with worry. She couldn't think anymore… they were all going to be sold…

The drum sounded, pounding her eardrums, its low sound piercing the night. It was calling all of the people to the center fire.

Her heart fluttered in fear…

Moving stealthily through the shadows, the riders moved into the camp. And then Azar gave a signal, and Káizahur was rearing up, powerful hooves slashing at the air, whinnying a war cry that shattered the taught night air. Thundering hoof beats erupted; filling Seto's ears, and his mount took off, following her herd. All around him were screams and savages shouts and the scraping of metal on metal as the Akanep drew their swords and unleashed their fury. He hung on for dear life as his horse charged down a Renunep on foot. There was a sharp _crack_ as her hoof connected with the Viper's skull. He shouted in agony and his sword clattered to the ground. He went limp and fell over.

A roaring sound filled Seto's ears, and the smell of blood and death flooded his nose. He had just killed a man… his stomach heaved painfully, and he struggled to keep his dinner down.

The falcon gripped tighter onto his shoulder. "Seto," she whispered soothingly. "It's all right. It was just a Viper. Akanep war horses are trained to do that."

It wasn't just a Viper. It was a _human being…_

Feeling sick, Seto wished he never had come. But his mount was charging off again… they seemed to be in a village common of some sort, there was a large clearing in which tents were arranged around in a circle. The sounds of battle were happening all around him… the central fire flickered, throwing weird shadows onto the tent walls. Seto saw Azar gut a man with her sword as her horse trampled another… he closed his eyes, wishing for it all to be a dream…

A sharp pain stabbed his shoulder, and he was blinded, biting back a scream. Blood was soaking through his shirt; a violet-fletched arrow was embedded in his skin, piercing him, ripping his flesh, causing unbearable pain…

The falcon's scream tore the air, and a silver blur whizzed by him, viciously slashing at the archer who had shot him. The man screamed and fell to the ground, trying to ward off her attacks with his arm to no avail. She left his face in bloody ruins, slashing him again and again with her talons.

Seto gritted his teeth and looked around for any of the kidnapped Akanep children. Most of them were already sitting on horses ridden by Scorpion warriors, but a few were still cowering in the shadows. He chose one, a small girl who could be no older than his brother, and urged his horse toward her. She ploughed through the battle and they came to stand before the girl, who was hiding her face, trying to make herself as small as possible. The firelight set off gleaming red highlights in her hair. It was almost hypnotizing.

The horse whinnied and stamped, and the girl looked up. She seemed to recognize the animal, and cried out in joy. Seto offered her a hand and hauled her up into the saddle, where she sat in front of him. She seemed to know how to ride much better than he, for she took the reins immediately and steered the horse toward another lost child, a young boy who had tears running down his face. They helped him up onto the horse, where he clung to Seto fearfully.

Seto felt funny inside. He brushed the feeling away just in time, for a Renunep rider was barreling toward them with a murderous look in his eye. Grasping the Millennium Rod, Seto conjured the same shield as he had done the day before, but disconnected himself from it so that he would not be hurt. The Viper slammed into the shield as if it were an invisible wall, bouncing off of it. The horse lost its balance and went tumbling to the ground, crushing two more Renunep.

The battle was over. The Scorpions had won. The girl who Seto had rescued was steering their horse to follow the rest of the Akanep, who were leaving the village.

The falcon alighted on his shoulder, a proud glint in her golden eyes. Her talons were painted with fresh Renunep blood. "Good work, Seto!" she praised him. He grunted something incoherent in reply. He was trying to concentrate on withstanding the pain in his shoulder, which was returning now that the adrenaline was receding from his bloodstream. The falcon noticed this and gave a sharp intake of breath. "Oh, Seto! You're hurt!"

"Yeah," he replied, gritting his teeth in annoyance of people who stated the obvious.

The falcon was now fidgeting in a state of anxiety. "Oh my goodness, I hope you haven't lost too much blood… As soon as we get back to where the others are waiting, Asim will heal you."

Seto nodded grimly. The young boy behind him said something in Akaneben.

"He wants to know if you are the High Priest," said the falcon with a smile in her voice.

Taken aback, Seto said, "Well, yeah, I guess so…"

The falcon said something to the boy, who squealed and grabbed on to Seto so hard that he thought his ribs might crack. The boy chattered to him excitedly.

"It seems you have fans," the falcon murmured in amusement. Seto rolled his eyes.

Soon they came to the dune where the rest of the group waited, including Joey, Téa, Yugi and the oldest and youngest of the Akanep, bearing travois laden with supplies and tent parts on their horses. Asim numbed the spot where Seto had been shot before removing the arrowhead and healing the wound. Seto changed into a clean shirt behind his horse while a great commotion arose as families were reunited. The girl who he had rescued seemed to be the sister of Azar and Zahir. It came as a mild surprise at how much affection and relief the twins were showing at the return of their sister, especially on Azar's part. Seto didn't think Azar was capable of showing that much emotion.

Finished changing, Seto mounted his horse again and the falcon went back to her usual perch on his shoulder. "By the law of the Akanep, adults are duty-bound to return favors. Since you saved Azar's little sister, who isn't an adult in the Scorpion community yet, Azar owes you."

"But it wasn't a favor."

"It doesn't matter. Azar is the closest one to Liyah, so Azar is in your debt."

"But I don't want Azar in my debt."

"Will you stop being so impossible? If I were you I would feel glad to have Azar on my side."

"I don't feel glad."

"Glad about this, or glad in general?"

"This conversation really isn't getting anywhere," Seto pointed out sourly.

"My point is, Azar is indebted to you. It could come in handy later."

"Whatever," said Seto, suddenly impatient. "You can leave now."

"Fine," the falcon snapped, flouncing away (if it's possible for a falcon to flounce). Seto shook off a guilty feeling and urged his mount forward, for the group, now much bigger, was starting off again. They numbered at about sixty, moving across the night sand like a dark wave.


	31. Chapter 31

Seto didn't realize he had slept until he woke the next morning to sunlight creeping under his eyelids. Yawning, he sat up and looked about. The desert dawn was arriving, but the group showed no signs of stopping. He dug a burnoose out of his pack to shield himself from the growing glare.

The familiar feeling of talons gripping his shoulder returned as the falcon landed. She seemed to have forgiven him for his rudeness the night before, although he didn't much care. "The Akanep say that if we keep moving, we can make it to Suresh before noon," she told him.

"Mmmmg," he grunted, still drowsy.

The falcon sighed and looked around at the rather monotonous landscape, broken occasionally by rocks dwindling in size, midgets compared to the looming Ashbaúdi hills that were receding into the distance as the group progressed. The desert was becoming less rocky but more hilly, the stony plains giving way to rolling dunes.

They crested another dune and met a sight that was like a slap in the face. It was as if a giant hand had suddenly smoothed the wrinkles out of a crumpled quilt, and so in front of them there was a vast plain of immense proportions, flat and absolutely empty.

"The Plain of Adcha," whispered the falcon in an awed voice. "This is the site of a great battle that took place many years ago between the Akanep and the Renunep. Countless warriors were slain on both sides, and the brutality and inhumanity seen here is unmatched to this day. It is where life died."

All was silent as they descended onto the desert floor. Dust devils danced around them as the wind whispered words that could not be made out. A cold shiver ran down Seto's spine. He could feel the pain of the lost souls who had died here, feel them crying out for help. But there was an impassable barrier between the worlds of the deceased and the living, and it was wearing thin as the spirits of the dead beat against it, screaming for mercy.

Yet all was silent. All was still. The quiet pressed up against Seto's ears and nose, smothering him and making his skin prickle. It was everywhere.

The Akanep did not show their nervousness on their faces, but they cast wary glances around them every minute or so, urging their mounts forward a little faster than usual. Some of the youngest children were whimpering softly and clinging to their parents.

The wind breathed its hot breath down Seto's neck, swirling around him invisibly.

Suddenly Azar halted, her nose twitching as she tested the air. She sat erect in the saddle, tensed and cautious. The wind carried a foul scent to her nose, making it prickle and burn. Baring her teeth, she turned to her comrades and said, "Nanem eshek ke Renunep." _The Vipers are here._

The group sprang to life, the horses tossing their manes in the wind, stomping the sand with their huge hooves, and snorting nervously. Their nostrils flared as they smelled the fear on the wind. Their riders moved into defensive positions, hands on their sword hilts. A.N. Don't you just love the word "their"? Hehe ok I'll stop now.

All was silent. All was still.

Except…

There was something moving atop a sand dune to the east. Something small, a dark blot on the landscape, but something nonetheless. Too large to be a human… No, wait, it was a person on a horse… And now the blot was being joined by at least twenty others like it, lining the top of the dune where it met the sky like stitches in a blanket.

"N'gem aata," whispered Azar. Silently, every Akanep warrior drew an arrow from their quiver and put it in their bow, ready to fire.

In a single rolling surge of black, the attacking riders charged toward them. As they drew closer, Seto could make out that they wore white objects carved from stone around their necks… with a sickening stomach lurch, he realized that they were not stones, but bones.

The rider at the head of the Renunep displayed a headdress that was a human skull, its hollow eye sockets staring eerily. It was tattooed with strange designs and adorned with violet feathers and jeweled beads. The Renunep carried strange curved swords that glinted in the sunlight. To Seto's alarm, the Renunep archers were lighting their arrowheads on fire, nocking them in their bows, and letting them fly. They sailed into the sky in a flaming arc, whistling towards the Akanep. All of the Scorpions were smart enough to drag their horses out of the way, but Yugi was not so lucky. A burning arrow landed right next to his horse's back hoof, and the horse bucked and reared, writhing in fear. Yugi held on for dear life as his horse went into a fit of fright, its eyes rolling wildly.

In a split second, the Vipers were upon them, snarling, whooping, crying out with unearthly screams that sent chills into Seto's heart. The two tribes clashed with a ferocity unmatched by anything he had seen before. Baring their teeth menacingly, the Akanep charged forward to meet them, swinging their swords. The harsh ring of metal on metal grated on the air. The horses' flying hooves stirred up clouds of dust that made Seto cough and clouded his vision. Screams of pain and yells of triumph soon erupted from time to time as blood spattered on the white sand. Sweat gleamed on the horses' shining coats, and the warriors' chests heaved with exertion. Flame was everywhere, crackling hungrily. Mixed with the dust, the smoke stung Seto's eyes. He struggled to disentangle himself from the fray, but he was trapped in a net of bodies, horses and humans, battling with pure venomous hatred in their eyes.

Sliding through the skirmish like oil on water, a one-eyed Viper with a murderous glint in his remaining eye charged toward Seto, his much-used battle-axe out in front of him. Gritting his teeth, slightly dazed that he was in an actual battle, Seto clenched his fist around his Millennium Rod and nudged the coil of power into a whip, wrapping it around his attacker's torso and jerking the Viper to the ground. His horse panicked and trampled him. Seto turned away, feeling sick.

The Akanep outnumbered their adversaries, but they had not bet on the power of fire. Some of the Scorpion horses were shying away from the flames, a few even stumbling or trying to throw off their riders. To Seto's horror, he saw that Yugi's horse was out of control; part of its tail was on fire. It bucked and screamed in fear and pain, trying to shake off the flickering orange demon. But a group of three Renunep, fighting back to back, were blocking his path. Steeling himself, he wheeled his mount around and charged right into the middle of them, using the Millennium Rod to create a shield around himself that blasted the attackers away from him.

Azar, who was also glancing at Yugi with concern, ran through one last Viper before coming to Seto's aid. He was amazed once again at what a superb fighter she was; she moved so easily through the motions and wielded her sword like a third arm. She came through the opened that Seto had created, and with one giant, heart-stopping leap, pivoted out of her saddle to land lightly on Yugi's horse's rump. Grabbing the boy and slinging him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes (Seto would have smirked had the situation not been so dire), Azar cut the burning harness free from the horse with a few swift strokes. She guided the horse bareback over to Skull-Shatterer and remounted him with Yugi behind her, clinging to her with his eyes shut tightly. With a feral yell, Azar wheeled Kaizahur around and plunged right back into the midst of the battle.

The Vipers were outnumbered, but they fought with such a cunning swiftness that their attack was effective enough to successfully hinder the Akanep. Even as members of their tribe were being cut down, each and every one of them had the same creepy, mirthless smile on their face. Baring spooky pointed teeth, their violet eyes gleamed with malice. They seemed to be enjoying themselves as they fought to the death with their mortal enemies.

But this was no place for young children. Even the six year olds were skilled at controlling a horse, but they were not ready for such a dangerous situation.

The falcon, who had not moved from his shoulder the whole time, echoed his thoughts aloud. "We need to get the small ones out of here."

Seto nodded. "But how…?"

"Some kind of diversion, perhaps…"

Out of the blue, a shrill cry split the air. "Hiyahhhhhhhhhhh!" screamed Suzuko as she guided her white-eyed mount straight toward a knot of fighters. Mokuba was holding onto her tightly with his head down, plainly frightened for his life. Seto had no idea where Suzuko had just come from, but as he saw her ride straight toward the warriors, he was mildly impressed at her courage. Or maybe it was just stupidity…

Plainly surprised, both the Scorpions and the Vipers stopped what they were doing for a moment to stare at the small, fiery-headed child who was galloping toward them and screaming bloody murder. This split second of stillness was the break that Seto and the falcon needed. Taking off like a shot into the sky, the bird shouted something urgently in Akanep. All of the children, accompanied by some of the older adults, broke away from the fight and made a mad dash toward the distant tents.

It took a second for the Renunep to register this. Pure rage slashed across their faces, uglier than the worst scar. The one-eyed leader roared something and pointed his sword at the fleeing riders. "Nggre theke!" he snarled. _After them!_

The air was filled with dust and the thunder of hoofbeats, a deafening roar that overwhelmed all of Seto's senses. He urged his horse forward, trying to steer it frantically, but it shook its mane imperiously and galloped off as if it knew the way to go. In fact, it probably did.

His horse ploughed through the fracas, its nose leading the way as its sensitive nostrils quivered. It whinnied suddenly and without warning, reared up onto its hind legs, lashing out with deadly hooves. It felt like someone had just tipped the world sideways and Seto was falling off. He realized he had closed his eyes, and opened them a little ways to see his own horse smash a Renunep warrior in the face with one diamond-hard hoof. Feeling sick, Seto buried his face in the horse's neck and knew that it meant death to get into the way of an Akanep warhorse's hooves. But it was still a human being…

Shake it off, something inside him growled. Who cares? They were going to kill you anyway.

His stomach turning violently, Seto forced the feeling down and pushed the bad thoughts away, concentrating on staying on his horse. It seemed like an eternity that the rampage continued, but finally the Renunep's unearthly war cries faded as they retreated back into their territory. The horses, their sides heaving and soaked with sweat, rounded a dune and jerked abruptly into a rough canter, then a bumpy trot, then finally a walk as they reached the beautiful Akanep capital of Suresh, the City of Wreaths.

There had never been a more welcome sight.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Vaneth's net of control over the Akanep had broken. At first he had been angry, taking his rage out on an unfortunate Viper who had been walking by the tent when he received the news. The Pharaoh and his companions had survived Azar's attack, and they had successfully freed the village of Hemeget. Vaneth had been out flying when the Scorpions had raided Nnagh to rescue their children. When Vaneth returned, the village was in chaos and the Scorpion youth were gone. Seething with fury at the latest defeat and at the pathetic incapability of Hatar, the current Renunep he had selected as his right-hand man. In a fit of irritation, Vaneth killed Hatar and appointed a younger, more energetic chief, (not to mention ravenously ambitious) a spitfire named Zeneg. He was twenty-three years old and had already lost an eye: when he was just ten, a lion had attacked him and a friend while they were gathering firewood at the edge of the village. Zeneg's friend had been killed, but Zeneg suffered only a blow to the head and a deep gash across his right temple, rendering his eye useless. He got back up and whacked the lion to death with a piece of wood. Zeneg was hailed as a hero, and he still bore the scar across his face where the lion had gouged him with its claw. He wore an eyepatch that made him look even more fearsome.

As soon as Zeneg had been promoted, the Renunep rallied a war party to pursue the fleeing Scorpions. Outrun on the plain of Adcha, the Renunep had to retreat. They couldn't risk going into Scorpion territory with such few numbers and no strategy. But they would be back.

Vaneth was slightly frustrated, but he still had a secret weapon that had not been unleashed yet. And it was waiting, hidden, ticking like a time bomb, deep in Scorpion territory.

_Ishizu sat on a balcony overlooking the Nile river, gazing up at the stars. The High Priest had gone with a squad of soldiers to stamp out grave robbers on the other side of the Nile, and wouldn't be back for several days. _

_She sighed, thinking about what her life had become. Being brought to the palace did have its perks, but she still yearned for the life she had led before. But that life was lost now. And here at the palace, she was loved… or at least wanted… by many of the men. One male in particular, High Priest Seto, she favored above all the others. But after spending many nights with him, she began to realize that he was shutting her out, not letting her in to his true feelings. This wall of ice frustrated her in more ways than one. _

_Ishizu had also noticed that the yellow-eyed falcon girl, Seto's advisor at court, had also become distant from everyone, even her own sister, the wolf girl. The only one Samira would speak to anymore was Marik. Yes, she would talk to the Pharaoh and the Priests when she had to, but otherwise was silent and inexpressive._

_She needed some time alone to mull these things over. That evening, Ishizu shook off her usual male followers and slipped out to the banks of the Nile, hiding herself in the tall reeds that bordered the edges of the river. _

_Sitting as still as a stone, ears pricked for any sound, she started as a flock of egrets took off in alarm from a clump of grasses nearby. She tried to sink lower into the cover of the brush. _

_Her heart skipped a beat as a voice right next to her said, "I see you, Ishizu."_

_The voice puzzled her. On the surface it was sunny, jovial; but its depths were murky and rippled with things unseen. And yet it shimmered beckoningly in her mind like a jewel. _

_Ishizu reached for the jewel, hypnotized by its radiance. _

"_That's right," whispered the voice smoothly. "Don't be afraid, come to me…"_

_Ishizu was entranced, but she was not weak-minded. Sharply and suddenly she pulled away, opening her eyes, blinded by the comfortingly real light of the setting sun. The air was suddenly colder; she shivered and pulled her cape closer around her shoulders._

_Curious at what had just occurred, she called out in a voice a lot stronger than she felt, "Who's there?"_

_A soft chuckle, then, "Oh, it is just Vaneth." _

_The reeds parted, and a man stepped through. He stood slightly hunched over, which was strange for a person of his youth and muscularity. His night-black hair was slicked back, and he sported a small pointy goatee of the same color. His eyes glinted like twin onyxes, sparkling a deep black. He smiled as if he knew a secret no one else did. He dressed richly, in indigo brocade robes that draped finely over his strong, wiry frame, and wore stylish, albeit expensive, jeweled sandals. Ishizu wanted to shrink away, but found she could not._

_Without the slightest rustle, the man kneeled down on the ground in front of her. She tried not to look into his eyes; they were like endless dark tunnels pulling her in. _

"_Priestess of the Millennium Necklace," crooned Vaneth, eyeing her distinguished magical jewelry almost hungrily. "How far you have come… and yet you still sleep with commoners. Tsk, tsk."_

_Ishizu stiffened. "Commoners?" she hissed. "Why, I—"_

_But Vaneth simply smiled. "It seems you are not very valued in the Pharaoh's eyes, no?"_

_Ishizu tried to ignore him, but his poisonous suggestions were worming their way into her brain. "Well…" she admitted, "I suppose it would be nice if I were treated with more respect…"_

_Vaneth simply nodded, staring off into the river. He turned to her, blasting her with the full intensity of his eyes, whispering, "I can help you, Ishizu… You will be the most powerful woman in all of Egypt…"_

_His gaze sent her reeling… her mind suddenly became clouded as he applied the full force of his magic—_

_Drowning in endless pits of darkness, sucked downward… black holes of nothingness, pulling, pulling…_

_Truth and justice were swallowed up by greed and gluttony, their lights disappearing in Ishizu's mind as one might snuff out a candle… blood pounded in her ears, her senses became fuzzy…_

_And suddenly, everything became perfectly crystal clear. A single ray of light shone down, glittering so brightly it seemed unreal._

Vaneth is my master. He shall make me rich and powerful and raise me from shame up into the house of the gods.

_And then her world went dark._

_A.N. Thanks to everybody who's been patient with me, I know it's a drag to have to wait two weeks for an update. Such misfortune is due to my extreme laziness coupled with multiple vacations whereupon I am cruelly torn from my word processor. Now that I'm back from my latest vacation, I'll try to write as much as I can! types furiously Hope you're enjoying my horribly long and complicated fanfic!_


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

The horses slowed to a leisurely gait as they reached the first large cluster of tents that marked the edge of the city. Sand gave way to tall palm trees, white stones and lush grass. The air smelled sweet and slightly spicy. The group brought their horses to a halt, and immediately a cluster of children descended upon them, chattering and looking around excitedly.

Those who had been wounded in the battle were ushered away by elderly, matronly females to tend to their injuries. Some older children hurried forward to lead the horses away after their riders had dismounted. Every Akanep had a scrap of brightly colored fabric tied in their hair, and many of the females sported intricate beaded or braided hairstyles. People rushed every which way carrying baskets of dried meat and cloth and skins of water and pouches of feathers. It was a whirlwind of color and noise and activity.

Seto dismounted and watched for a moment as his horse was led away, dazed by this sudden assault on his senses. The falcon chirped and fluttered down from his shoulder, disappearing in a golden mist. Out of the colored fog rose Samira. She was joined by Asim and Ramla, who were each sporting multiple cuts and abrasions from the skirmish. They seemed not to take notice that they were bleeding, but ignored it completely. Samira, on the other hand, was completely unscathed.

"Asim," Samira said, "You should go to the hospital tent and see if you can be of assistance. I'm going to help cook."

"I'm going on night watch tonight," Ramla told them, grinning toothily. "Hunting out wayward snakes." She winked and left.

"That's our bloodthirsty sister for you," Asim sighed. "Well, I'd better be off." Samira nodded and they both left, melting into the crowd.

Now Seto was alone, and slightly confused as to where to go next.

"Seto!" shouted a familiar voice. Mokuba ran toward him, jumping into his brother's arms. "Are you okay?" he asked earnestly. Seto nodded.

"Wasn't that scary?" he said, lowering his voice and looking at Seto seriously now. "Being in that battle? I mean, they were really bent on killing each other!"

Seto shrugged. "Both of us are okay, and that's what matters," he said, turning away. This awkward silence was broken by the appearance of a flame-colored head belonging to none other than the sparrow girl. She grinned savagely and said to Seto, "Well hello, mister priest. It seems that we are a bunch of luckies, escaping with our life and all." Suzuko then went on to elaborate colorfully on the vices of the "purple-haired fools." It was sort of annoying how she always made Seto want to grin.

Sighing, he scanned his surroundings and saw Azar and her little sister, the girl he had saved not two nights ago, deep in conversation. They were both glancing at him from time to time, and finally the girl dragged her older sister over to where Seto was standing.

Azar was considerably more cheerful than usual, which was a strange sight to see.

"I want to thank you for saving my sister," she said to him in Late Upper Egyptian, looking at him with her strange red eyes. "I am in your debt." With a slight flourish, she pulled a small beaded piece of cloth from where it had been tied in her hair and pressed it into his hand. With a small nod, she walked away, disappearing without a trace.

Liyah gave Seto a warm smile, bowed, and hurried after her sister.

Seto was left with the small piece of beaded cloth in his hand, very confused and lost.

He pocketed it, and promptly forgot about it.

Samira went ahead of the rest of the group, which was slowly filtering into the village. She was excited; she had many friends in this village and was eager to see them again. The tumult of many voices, mutterings, shoutings, could be heard all throughout the village. Horses whinnied, camels snorted, children laughed, cookfires crackled, tents rustled and flags snapped in the breeze.

A steamy aroma wafted toward Samira's nose from the distant kitchen tents. She followed the scent, her mouth watering.

Ishizu crouched in the shadow of a tent. Her eyes glowed slightly red in the darkness. In her hand she clutched the black sphere Vaneth had given her.

_Your prey is close, Ishizu. She wanders by like an innocent lamb._

She tensed, ready to spring. The sphere sizzled with pent-up energy. Her senses were oblivious to everything else except the approaching footsteps, the small red glow in her mind that was her prey's body heat. Like a panther preparing to ambush, she bunched up her muscles and bent her knees, eyes narrowed and mouth slightly open.

A shadow passed across the ground. A tall, slim, dark-haired girl was hurrying by, towards a gap between two tents that led to a cobblestone road.

She never made it.

Baring her teeth, Ishizu launched herself from her hiding place, colliding full force, knocking her prey to the ground.

Samira's cry was quickly muffled as Ishizu clamped one hand down over her mouth. The golden-eyed girl struggled frantically, but she was trapped. Grinning wildly, Ishizu raised the black sphere, and it ignited, wild purple flames exploded from it like a bomb. They engulfed the two in a cloud of darkness. The raw dark power found Samira and surrounded her greedily, slamming into her and burrowing underneath her skin, flowing into her mouth and nose, smothering her. The last thing she heard was a hysterical, maniacal cackling before the magic wiped her mind cleaner than a blackboard.


End file.
